Ashes to Ashes
by LittleBit16
Summary: Post Allegiant-With the city vulnerable women have been taken and sold into the Fringe. When Amar, Zeke and the police force discover a picture of a women with raven tattoos on her collarbone being held captive- they start to question the truth behind Tris' death. Tobias and the gang must reunite for one last battle: to save Tris and put an end to this dangerous trade. DARK
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my lovey readers!**

 **So I, like most of you, was shocked at the ending of Allegiant. I felt like my heart got ripped out of my chest reading those last few chapters. The way Tobias spread her ashes and the way he talked about her two and half years later: "My memories of Tris, some of the most powerful memories I have, have dulled with time, as memories do... Saying her name still gives me a little twinge of pain, a pinch that lets me know her memory is still dear to me."- oh the feels!**

 **It literally was all I could think about for 3 days straight. I totally understand Veronica's reasoning. I, too, believe it couldn't fit who Tris' character is to let Caleb go into the weapon's room. I also can see how just the ending she wrote for Tris justified her character and her actions in the first two books- but that doesn't mean I can't imagine a happier ending for the sake of my poor, love-sick heart!**

 **So I came up with this idea after doing a paper on human-trafficking and abductions that have been going on all over the world. It's a horrific event that needs more attention!**

 **-There are over 20 million slaves in the world today.**

 **-Globally, the average cost of a slave is $90.**

 **-80% of trafficking involves sexual abuse and 19% involves labor**

 **-600k-800k people are trafficked across international borders every year. 80% of those being women, and HALF of that statistic are CHILDREN.**

 **How horrible is that? So I got to thinking; why not write a story that will hopefully bring some peace to any other heartbroken readers of Allegiant (like myself) and educate people of a major global issue at the same time?**

 **I really hope you enjoy my story and please feel free to remind me of grammatical errors or plot inconsistencies; I also really do appreciate constructive criticism. I love writing and want to improve in any ways I can so I encourage you to criticize my writing!**

 **WARNING: But I must warn you that I will be writing about a lot of dark themes, like rape and abuse. Please keep an open mind and know that I'm not trying to spare your feelings during this story. I am not going to glorify what happens when human trafficking is involved. I'm doing my best to write a realistic story and that's going to involve some heavy violence and dark themes. Please be warned!**

 **So without further babbling- I introduce to you Ashes to Ashes**

 **All rights go to VR**

 **The Beginning of the End**

* * *

Tobias had never felt so helpless. It had been four hours and all he could do was wait. The waiting room was much too bright. The fluorescents felt like they were glaring at him. He couldn't sit still, he had been pacing for the last hour, grumbling at people that got in his way.

His mind spun in circles. His thoughts were so jumbled up; like his head had been put through a blender.

 _Why did she do it?_

 _Why didn't he see this coming?_

 _Why did they split up?_

And the worst one- _What am I going to do if she doesn't make it?_

He remembered the chaos of returning to the Bureau. All the glazed and confused gazes of the inoculated residents. They looked around the main halls, the dorms, the weapon labs-But Tris, Cara and Matthew were nowhere to be found.

"Let's try the infirmary! Maybe-maybe Uriah woke up! Or they could be…saying goodbye." Chrisitna exclaimed. Tobias knew what that meant. Since the memory serum had been released successfully, that could only mean one thing. Caleb Prior was dead. Tobais had to admit-he had mixed feelings about this. For one thing- he never really liked Caleb. He had put Tris through an emotional rollercoaster, and the tears that Tris shed-Tobias would never forgive him for. But he was still Tris' family- so Tobias was obligated to care a little.

No matter the current situation- Tobias couldn't help but feel his heart skid a beat at the thought of embracing Tris again. His chest always seemed to swell when he saw her- even when she was just an initiate. But now-since that night they shared- everything between them seemed to intensify.

Waking up the next morning-eyes still gummy with sleep- and seeing Tris still curled up into his side like a kitten; god it made him feel like it was real. It was when her soft blond hair tickling his nose and when her small, delicate yet calloused hands gripping the blanket. It was last night replaying over and over in his head when he could see it.

Starting a relationship during the middle of a war definitely was a challenge. With death nipping at their heels at every corner, Tobias really didn't think about where he and Tris would be in a few years. In his defense- Four really just cared about getting Tris and himself to see another sunrise-not their ultimate future together. But now that they had a plan that would end this war and the death and the tragedy that piled up to their necks; he started to make plans and have these aspirations for his life with Tris.

When the memory serum was released- where would they go? The city? Or would they venture into the unknown? Tobias hoped they would go back to the city. He felt like he had enough adventure for many lifetimes; but he would follow Tris anywhere. He would pick out the perfect apartment for her. Someplace close to their friends, somewhere with natural light and windows because he knew how much Tris would enjoy watching the city from above. A floor not too high-but high enough to make him nervous. The nerves would quickly dissipate when he would see the gleam in her eyes- he knew it would make an appearance.

And then what? Tobias knew that they would take up some line of work. He wasn't sure what yet. He was good with guns and could handle a job with a little danger easily, but a part of him was ready to put that part of himself behind, too. And Tris- Tris could do anything. She could lead the entire city- Four could see her doing that. However he could also see her taking up a small job, too. He wasn't sure what she would choose, but he was excited to find out. She was always a wildcard; it was one of the things Tobias loved most about her.

Tobias Eaton was no romantic. His parents weren't exactly the best example, but he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his days with Tris. No one understood him better- he had never felt so at ease with a woman before. When all this was over and they were finally able to settle down- Tobias knew he would make Tris his wife. The thought was almost ludacris. Here they were- about to reset hundreds of people memories- and he was thinking about marriage. Granted- he hadn't been presented with a practical time when they were being hunted down by Jeanine's cronies. Now, he was able to see it in their future.

But all those dreams shattered into a million pieces when he turned that corner into the infirmary and almost ran straight into the tear-streaked face of Caleb Prior.

"Caleb!" Christina panted. "You're-You're not-" She could hardly form a sentence. None of them could. It was a hard question to piece into words.

 _You're supposed to be dead. Why aren't you dead?_

Caleb just stared at them, mouth forming syllables then going silent again; an absolute loss for words.

Tobias' stomach immediately dropped what felt like a thousand feet. His stomach churned when he did a sweep of the room and found Cara and Matthew but no Tris.

"Tobias." He was briefly aware of Cara's soft voice. Of her gentle hand pulling at his forearm before he wrenched his hand from her grasp.

"Where is she?" He growled. "Where is Tris?"

Caleb collapsed into the nearest chair, shoulders shaking with silent sobs as his hands raked through his hair. "Tris went into the weapons lab instead of Caleb." Cara whispered, speaking directly to Tobias' feet. A few seconds ticked by until her sentence fully registered in Four's mind. During those brief seconds Tobias heard Christina's horrified gasps and sobs. He heard Amar step toward him. But when Tobias locked eyes with Caleb- it was like a bullet shot out of gun.

Suddenly he had Tris' brother pressed up against the nearest wall, his hands around Caleb's skinny throat. He remembers snarling the phrase 'you killed her, you killed her!' over and over before Matthew and Amar detangled him from Caleb and forcing him to ground _._

"She's not dead, Four." Caleb gasped from the floor. Tobias inferred that this sentence was suppose to make him feel hope or joy, but somehow it just made him numb. Because inside Four knew-he _knew_.

"He's right. Tris survived the death serum. We have no idea how; but she did. She released the memory serum, but David was waiting for her, Four. He had a gun-" Cara's words sounded sluggish and muffled in Four's current state, like she was speaking to him underwater. He registered the words 'shot' and 'blood loss' and he cringed inwardly rubbing his hands across his face.

"Tris is in surgery right now. The doctors are doing everything they can, Four."

"That's not good enough. That's _not_ good enough." He sneered.

Tobias could feel a soothing hand rubbing his shoulder. If it was Cara or Christina- Tobias didn't know. He layed motionless on the firm tiles with his eyes squeezed shut; wishing with every cell in his body that it was his body on that operating table. He wasn't aware how much time passed with him lying there on the cold slab of floor. Tobias could practically feel all the hope he had left leak out of his body. He could practically feel the hands of despair slither up his body and grasp him in a chokehold.

He had never felt so helpless.

It was when hour number four rolled around when Tobias really started to lose it. Every time he looked near the door that lead to the operating rooms he felt like there were tiny hands clawing at his heart. Tobias also knew that his pacing and restlessness would do nothing to speed up the clock, but he couldn't just sit down. He felt his despair following him like a thick fog nipping at his heels. If he stopped moving it would slink up his body and suffocate him.

He knew from Cara that major operations like Tris' normally took up to 6-8 hours. That's why he knew, when another half hour passed and a surgeon walked out of the operating room, that it could only be bad news. He walked slowly up to their vigil of people, as if every step caused him physical pain.

A hush fell over them and Amar nudged Christina awake. Once Tobias looked up to meet the doctor's eyes and noticed the haunted look that took residence there he slowly sank to the floor. His hung his head between his knees and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, willing this agonizing pain to leave his body. He could hear the gasps and sobs coming from his circe of friends. Even when the doctor didn't utter a word they all knew. His face said it all.

"Caleb Prior?"

"Yes." Croaked Caleb. His head was parallel with the floor, eyes glazed over.

"I'm Doctor Sanchez. My team and I, we did everything we could to save your sister-" Various sobs and cries echoed throughout the small room. Tobias could hear Chrisitina's chair screech as she sat up abruptly. He could hear her muffled sobs as she pressed her face into the crook of her elbow. It was like a movie playing behind his eyelids. Every smile that she send his way, the way her hand would squeeze his, the way her body fit perfectly curved against his. Gone, all gone. "Your sister had a severe amount of blood loss. The bullet in her leg nicked a major artery and she went into hypervolemia shock. The other bullet just missed her spleen by a millimeter, which was very fortunate. We did our best to replace the blood loss and stop her body from hemorrhaging. Beatrice was hanging in there, fighting tooth and nail. We were optimistic of her recovery, but then she just crashed- I've never seen anything like it. Her vitals were strong, her heart rate was up and in a blink of an eye they just plummeted. We did what we could, CPR, various drugs and serums meant to revive her, but we weren't successful. I inferred it had to do with her exposure to the death serum. I believe her body just couldn't hang on any longer." It felt like the whole room was holding their breath, unable to move. Tobias shoved his hands over the ears to block out the words the doctor was saying. As if not hearing them would make them untrue. But still they found a way to seep through his fingers. "I'm very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and your family- to all of you."

"My family is dead, doctor." Caleb whispered. "They're all dead."

* * *

Wow that was heavy! Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to review- like I said I want to improve my writing, so constructive criticism is always welcome here!


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my lovely readers!**

 **I just wanted to take time to thank you for all your positive reviews! They made my day and I'm so pleased to see that you guys like my plot and are excited for updates! Also- to the guest who reminded me that it's Christina not Cristina- a big thank you! I can't believe I messed that up lol!**

 **I'm going to do my best to update every week or so, and I'm also trying to cram as much back story as I can into the next few chapters so they might be long!**

 **As always- thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to remind me of any errors you see or confusions in the plot!**

 **All rights go to VR**

When the Smoke Cleared

The silence that engulfed them was almost tangible. It covered the group like a thick blanket. No one had words. There was nothing Tobias could say to describe the tightness in his chest, no words to express how little he felt, how small and naked he felt without Tris here with him.

Doctor Snachez was still standing in front of Caleb, mouth slightly agape-probably to say another apology or reassuring words- but thought better of it. He shuffled his feet and pulled at his white coat uncomfortably.

"Can we see her?" Tobias was surprised to hear Christina's voice shatter the silence.

"Yes, though very briefly. Unfortunately-due to her exposure to the death serum- we are unsure of the side effects that could arise…Ethan, our head mortician has advised that it would be prudent to get her to the crematoria as soon as possible."

 _Motician, body, death, crematoria…_ all these words started to swim circles inside Tobias' head until he felt sick. He ran his fingers through his hair and pulled at the roots, not even noticing the pain it caused.

"Side affects?" Cara, the curious intellectual that she was, asked.

"Well, as I've said before, we've never seen anyone survive the death serum. We are mainly concerned that particulates of the death serum could still be active in her organs- most importantly her lungs. As her body…as her body starts to decompose, those particulates could become airborne and therefore a threat. It's a worst case scenario, really, but we don't want to take any chances." He spoke as if discussing an interesting test subject, not a human being. As if her heart ceasing to beat meant she was now worthless.

Four doesn't remember walking into the morgue or even deciding to. His bdy was on auto-pilot, functioning without Tobias' doing. He didn't even comprehend his feet touching the stiff, white tiles. He was numb.

It was Tris' sleek, blonde hair peeking out beneath a sheet that woke him of his trance. He remembers Dr. Sanchez peeling the blanket away from Tris' body. He remembers Christina and Caleb stifling sobs and Amar staring, wordlessly. He remembers reaching for her hand and noticing it to be soft and warm like the way he remembered it to be. He remembers wishing it was cold and hard. That maybe if it was stiff and chilled, he would have an easier time accepting this. He thinks that if he stares hard enough he can imagine her chest rising with shallow breaths, as if she was sleepingHe remembers sinking down to the floor and putting his head into his hands and just wishing he had never left her.

Some time later a group of nurses arrived to wheel Tris to the Crematoria. Tobais latched on to Tris' hand, refusing to let go but he was soon pryed away by Amar's rough hands and he just stood there; watching the nurses cover Tris again and hearing the wheels squeak and the doors swing closed and the deafening silence after.

The days that followed bled together from days to weeks. Events that were suppose to contain significance blurred together. Leaving the Buarro. Uriah's memorial, moving into the Hancock building.

Through every proceeding action Tris followed him. In the faces he saw in the street to the laughter he heard in the hallway. Memories of Tris would play every time he closed his eyes. Tobias began to chase away Tris' memories with whisky and the occasional bottle of vodka. Though with time Tris' absence became more and more present, in the ways of how empty the bed felt and how quiet his nights were and that occasional shot of vodka turned into the daily bottle of vodka. He would leave his door locked and ignore the insistent pounding of his friends fists on the wood. He would drink until the memories of Tris were blurry and spotty and therefore more manageable.

The weeks he spent in his drunken state, Tobias can barely recall. He remembers crying and drinking and then getting angry and throwing the bottles at the walls. He would glare at the ur that held the last pieces of Tris he had left; infuriated that after all she had done in the war, all the sacrifices she made had led to her being just ash. He remembers realizing that he couldn't pinpoint the exact shade of Tris' eyes or where exactly her hair fell on his shoulders and becoming terrified that if the memories kept fading he would have nothing left of her. He remembers Christina barging in through the door and yelling at him, telling Tobias that he was a coward and a disgrace. To the dauntless name and that Tris would have never wanted this. He remembers watching as she poured out his entire liquor cabinet into the sink and locking him into the bathroom until he took a shower.

Tobias grasped the edge of the counter, trying to steady himself, and caught a glance of his appearance. He looked haggard and worn. He hadn't shaved in weeks. His clothes were left unchanged, with stains of whiskey on them. He reeked of alcohol and despair. He was a poor excuse for a man and he knew it.

He looked like his father.

After he rinsed and shaved he rejoined Christina in the make shift livng room of two chairs and a chest he used as a coffee table. He was surprised to see the room had been cleaned of all dishes and wiped down. He heard the laundry machine running from the other room. The curtains were pulled open and Tobias cringed at the lights seeping through.

Christina gave him a glare and kicked her foot out to jiggle to chair next to her. Tobias took the hint and sat down. He felt the hot gaze of the woman standing across from him, willing him to speak

"Christina I…" But the words never came.

However, Candor-born soul that she was, seemed to have a whole speech planned out before hand. "Four, you can't keep doing this to yourself. Tris would have hated to see you like this. Absolutely hated it." Tobias winced as he heard her name out loud, and he shuddered when he knew she was right. "You're acting like a coward. Drinking every night and day, like that's somehow going to make losing her easier? Like that's going to heal you? All that's going to do is make reality extremely unpleasant when you sober up. It's been three months. You're running away from it when you need to get up and face it like the rest of us." She spoke, her voice had a steel edge to it, making every word cut Tobias like a knife.

"It's not the same for the rest of you, you don't understand how it feels." He snarled.

"How can you say that? Yes, Tris may have had more of an impact on your life than others but what you're forgetting was that she was my best friend. I loved her, too, Tobias. We all did." Her voice shook with every word and tears began to pool in her eyes. "You think it's somehow easier for us? That we don't miss her, too? She touched all of our lives, Four." Her voice was softer now, gentler. "Everyone is feeling her loss."

"I don't know how to move on…I can't without-I miss-" Maybe it was the alcohol still in his system or himself trying to shut out his emotions regarding Tris, but all of his boxed up emotions spilled out of him. He sank to the floor and felt Christina's thin arms embrace him, felt her shaking shoulders and sniffles. "She's fading-I don't even have a picture-" Sobs made his body shudder and he melted into Christina's small frame. She mumbled words of comfort while Tobias finally let Tris' death catch up to him.

To this day Tobias still can't recall just how long they spent on his living room floor. He remembers their grief subsiding as the hours passed and sharing their dearest memories of Beatrice and even Will. Four found himself smiling and even laughing at some stories Christina had. Laughing felt foreign to his body, and it was odd to experience it again.

When the sun rose Christina took him on a walk around the city, pointing out new additions and changes as she went. She told him about the job she got relocating people into the city and all the different people she met. She did most of the talking and Tobias didn't mind in the least. He enjoyed listening to her talk and being in someone else company felt refreshing.

Later that week he visited Amar and Zeke who seemed very relieved to see him out of his apartment. He was happy to hear that they had taken positions on the police force. They offered him a job there but Tobias surprised everyone, including himself, by declining.

Four spent the next few months taking Christina's advice and spent a lot of time in his friends company. Morning walks became routine for Tobias and Christina. Some walks were talkative, about their new lives or on heavier days, Tris. However some others, they barely said a word at all; just simply enjoyed each others company. Four was very grateful for his new friendship with Christina. Walking with her made him realize that he wasn't alone with his grief and he leaned on her greatly.

He was a regular at the Pedrad residence for dinners, as well. Shauna and Zeke always lifted his spirits with their jokes and endless conversations. He went to Amar when he needed advice and was in contact with Cara, his mother and Matthew here and there, but never Caleb.

Tobias spent many nights sleepless in his apartment. His dreams were always plagued by visions of Tris' body on the metal slab and her body engulfed by flames in the crematoria. Or even worse fantasy like dreams of her smiling and warm, cooking dinner with him in his apartment or lounging on his couch with a thick novel. Those little pieces of normality were what stung the most. They made Tobias think of 'what ifs' and 'what could have been' that mad Four feel like he was drowning. Cara had given him pills that she assured him would help him sleep without one dream, but somehow Tobias could never muster up the courage to take one. He was afraid that a dreamless night without a glance at Tris' face would be even more of nightmare. Waking up alone was the worst part. In the first few seconds of alertness, he could almost see Tris' small frame tangled up in the sheets beside him-that is if he tried hard enough. Then reality would creep in and her image would fade just as quickly as it would come, like dust disappearing as soon as a breeze came through. Tris would be gone and Four would feel gutted and painfully empty.

He confided in Christina about this problem one night over drinks and she looked at him for a few seconds, before leaping up to shrug on her coat. She beckoned Tobias to follow her with an impatient 'well are you coming or not?' and he soon found himself countless blocks away from home at a pound for stray dogs. Christina took one look at a group of drooling and energetic mutts, one finger posed beneath her chin, before announcing 'we'll take that one!' He followed her pointed finger and found himself staring into the sad eyes of a dark, furry dog lounging in the corner by himself. "Suits you well enough, eh Four?" Christina smirked. Tobias tried to push back, telling Christina that he didn't know the first thing about dog, but there was no arguing with Christina.

He soon found himself in his apartment with a young German Sheppard, just staring at one another. He couldn't believe that a silence with a dog could be awkward, but there he was. "Uh.. here's the kitchen and my room. You can't sleep on the bed but I can lay a blanket down for you…if you want." The dog cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows at Four. He cursed Christina's stupid idea that lead him to talking to a dog at 2 AM. He crossed the room to sit on his bed. He put his head on his knees, already planning what he was going to say to Christina in the morning when a wet nose interrupted his thoughts. The mutt rested his head between Tobias' knees as if he knew what he was planning to do. Tobias ran his hand across the dogs thick head and scratched him behind the ear. The dog closed his eyes and hummed in approval and Four felt his resolve break into a thousand pieces. "Okay, fine. You can sleep on the bed."

Months passed and soon merged into a year. Tobias found solace in his friends and his new job as assistant to Johanna Reyes. Having a new companion living with him helped with his loneliness and made his apartment less painfully silent during the night. Christina and Four have never again brought up that night in Tobias's apartment. He was still slightly embarrassed to have wept like that in front of her and he was relieved it had stayed between them. The only reminder he has of that night was a photo frame left on his bedside the night after. Christina had somehow gotten a hold of a perfect candid shot of Tris smiling, with her long hair falling across her shoulders. He never asked, but he assumed it was from initiation.

. The days never got easier, living without Tris; they just became more routine and manageable for him. Tobias didn't really have many beliefs about the afterlife- but he liked to believe that Tris was still by his side someway, somehow. He like to think that she was proud of him, that she was still in his corner rooting for him. There wasn't a day that passed that his mind didn't drift off to his memories of Tris. Though they ached, they were also a reminder that she was real- that what he felt for her was real. He didn't get nearly as much time as he wanted with her, but the days he did were the most precious gift he had ever received.

 **Thank you so much for reading! A quick AN- this was the last 'backstory' of my story. The next chapters will have a lot more plot in them to get the story moving! I just wanted to include some pieces of Tobias after the death of Tris since my actual story will be taking place two years after. I think it's an important part of the story that I really wanted to include.**

 **I'm on vacation right now and don't have internet or my Divergent books- so please tell me if I spelled Pedrad or Johanna's name wrong! I'm also taking suggestions on what Tobais's dog should be named! The dog is a boy and I would love to name him something that has meaning from the series. I'm thinking something that would honor Uriah or Andrew's death? But am coming up empty. I would love to hear your ideas!**

 **Thanks again for reading! I would love to hear your feedback on this chapter! Don't be shy! Reviews inspire me to write faster! ;)**

 **Lizzy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, my lovely readers!**

 **Again- I must first thank you for the reviews you have left on my story! It means so much to me to hear what you guys think! I did a double take when looking at them, you guys are amazingly sweet and make me feel so happy! I still can't put into words the feeling I get when I see you guys writing not just sentences but full on paragraphs! "Dauntlessfourever" (Clever wordplay- I love it!) "Edgyelena" and "Katelyn," your reviews brought tears to my eyes. I've never really had that much confidence when it comes to writing. I'm used to being the one addicted to other amazing writer's fanfictions, not writing them myself! So to hear all the positive reviews on my own story- is really a confidence boost. You guys are so nice to me and I am so, so thankful.**

 **I just hope I don't disappoint!**

 **ALSO- I loved hearing all your suggestions for the dogs name! After some thought I've decided to go with Six! Thanks Ayla for the suggestion! I think it fits beautifully.**

 **Anyways- I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this chapter! All rights go to VR** **J**

 **Enjoy!**

 **The Lonely Hour**

The clinking of glass and the boisterous laugh of Zeke Pedrad were the background noises to most of Tobias' Tuesday nights. He always looked forward to dinners at Zeke and Shauna. There was never a lull in conversation and Zeke's raunchy sense of humor always had his gut aching and heat rushing to his cheeks. There relationship had been shaky to mend at first. But grudges fade as time passes, and Zeke and Tobias were able to rebuild their friendship brick by brick until a solid wall formed. Talk of Uriah was still strained and pained, but they both lost someone they cared for, just days apart. There was a certain understanding of each others pain that they became accustomed to, that they were able to bond again over.

Shauna and Zeke's apartment was small, musty and cluttered; which at first made Four feel cramped and cornered. However, throughout the years, it gave off a homier feel. The walls, while slight in size, were covered with photographs and colorful art. Bookcases and shelves hugged the walls. Their apartment was warm and much more inviting than his own.

"Ill let you boys get to it." Shauna said with a wink. She stacked the dishes and wheeled herself towards the nook that was their kitchen.

"Ah, Shauna, baby, you don't need to do that. Leave those for me." Zeke protested.

"Its no trouble- have your guy time." She said easily, reaching up to plant a kiss on Zeke's cheek as she passed. He smiled at their affection, but Tobias couldn't quite ignore the twist in his gut when he watched Zeke's eyes, warm and full, following Shauna until she disappeared around the corner. Four found himself leaning down to scratch Six's ears to avert his eyes from intruding on this private scene. Very Abnegation, he knew. He loved Zeke and Shauna, he really did. He also knew they were two of the most deserving people to end up with each other. But sometimes spending time around them only made his apartment feel that much lonelier when he returned.

Zeke and Tobias lapsed into a comfortable silence with only Six's sharp pants being audible, both relishing in the silence that followed after and hour of loud outbursts and conversing.

"So you're really thinking about doing it, huh?" Four inquired softly, gesturing toward the hallway that Shauna disappeared into.

Zeke's eyebrows wiggled mischievously and Four was reminded of just how much his old friend liked secrets and mischief. "I am. No one I'd rather be with." He vows while finishing his beer.

"I'm happy for you, man. A wedding is just what we need around here." Four gave his friend a tight smile before gazing at a photo just behind Zeke's head. Zeke- still familiar with the control room after working there- had managed to review some of the tapes collected over the years from the security cameras. While doing so, he printed out certain stills from the video feeds. Hidden smiles between him and Shauna, Uriah and Hana, and most popular, pictures of their fallen comrades. Tori with her tattoo needle, a crease forming between her brows as she worked. Uriah mid-laugh making obscene hand gestures while telling a joke. Lynn and Marlene shoving dauntless cake into each others faces, And Tris- a look of deep concentration on her face with a knife posed behind her head. The wall behind their mantle had become a shrine of fond memories and lost loved ones.

Zeke, following his gaze, turned his head and sighed. "She sure was something else, wasn't she?" He didn't specify to the girl he was talking about, but they both knew it was Tris.

This time, it was Four's turn to take a sharp swig of his beer. He turned the bottle around on the table a few times before answering. "She was. She sure was." He said softly. Tris was still a sore subject for Tobias. Each mention of her welcomed past memories that stung, but always left a sweet aftertaste afterwards. Remembering her was bittersweet, even after a little over a year, but Tobias knew trying to forget her would be much more painful.

"Five foot three something and deadly as hell." Zeke laughed at his own joke and Tobias felt his own shoulders start to shake as well. "An aptitude for three factions." Zeke continued, shaking his head. "I still can't believe that shit."

"One of a kind." Four stated, lifting his beer over the dark, wooden table.

"One of a kind!" Zeke echoed and closed the distance between their two beers with a heavy 'Clang!'

"Of course, it would take a strong woman to stand toe and toe to legendary Four." His friend winked and Tobias just shook his head to his friend's antics. "Beauty, brains and the brawns. A deadly combination, indeed." Four laughed at Zeke's slurs. "Always thought she had the prettiest eyes and some nice legs, did I ever tell you that?" Zeke's rambling definitely could have something to do with him being on his fifth beer, Four thought.

He hummed in agreement, taking another swig and feeling it warm his chest, before adding "You should have seen her body. 'Nice' would have been quite the understatement." Zeke looked at him like he had grown another head before laughing so loud he was sure the walls shook. Four found himself laughing, too; imagining the bruises he would endure if Tris was here to hear that. The alcohol soothed the sting and left more room for the sweet.

"My god, Four! I think we've drank enough tonight, eh?" It wasn't a funny statement but Tobias found a burst of giggles erupt from his chest. Come to think of it, he was on his fifth beer, too.

A few minutes passed before Zeke sat up straight in his seat and straightened up the cuff on his shirt; immediately making Tobias tense up, knowing what was coming. "Look, Four…" He sighed lightly, trying to find the right words. "I know you loved her, man. I know that. I know you think Tris was it for you too, and I get that, too. I know you think no ones ever going to compare to her, and you're probably right." Four averted his eyes and rubbed his palms across his face, suddenly feeling very sober. The sting was back, splitting his chest into what felt like a million pieces. "But it's been over a year now. And it might be healthy to get back out there, you know?"

"Zeke-" Four protested, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. He felt like a bucket of ice cold water had spilled down the back of his spine.

"Shauna's got this friend-"

"Zeke." Four said. This time his voice sharp., echoed by his fist dropping down onto the table; rattling their beers and making Six jump to his feet. "Not right now, okay? Not right now." He said it softer this time, noticing his friend's alarmed expression.

"Alright. I get it. Just thought you should know." This was one of the qualities Four liked most about Zeke. He didn't push or pry like Christina often did. When he wanted a subject dropped it was dropped. "I was actually hoping to get your advice on a new case." Four noticed Zeke's leg start to bounce underneath the table.

"Shoot." Tobias said, thankful for a subject change.

He rubbed his hands and leaned forward. "Remember last month, when you told us you and Johanna were getting pleas from the Fringe to investigate some weird disappearances?"

Four winced remembering the memory. He enjoyed his job, he really did. He was proud to work with Johanna; they both shared the same views of peace for their city. Between the two of them they were able to make drastic improvements in just over a year. They campaigned for grants to open schools in three different sectors of the city and created jobs to help families get back on their feet while cleaning up the city. There were a lot of positive aspects to his job but of course they couldn't fix everything. During the last two months Johanna and him had been getting letters from a wide demographic of people complaining of their friends and family disappearing in the middle of the night. "Yeah. Yeah I remember."

"Anything come out of that?"

"We tried to investigate. I was sent out there, met with what little police force they had established there, but you know how the Fringe is. They scatter like birds when they're questioned. They wanted a grant to investigate but they had no leads, we weren't sure how they wanted us to help…But there was little we could do." Zeke was eagerly listening and nodding vigorously at Four's words. "With the city open we just assumed the 'missing people' just escaped to the city. I mean the people they thought were taken were orphans, drug users…How exactly is this helping?"

"Not exactly helping; more so proving my theory." He winked and poked at the bridge of his nose as if he was pushing up imaginary glasses.

Tobias scoffed and placed his hands behind his head, leaning back against his chair. "Your theory?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, my theory, Four." H accentuated each word like he was announcing the winner of a prestigious award and punctured the air with his finger at each syllable. "I think it's connected." He breathed. Zeke leaned back, letting his words take their effect.

"Alright, almighty Zeke." Tobias droned dramatically, playing along. "Explain."

Zeke's body popped up like a spring at his cue. "Okay, so connections! Where to start, where to start…"

Tobias rolled his eyes. "You're really impressing me here, Pedrad."

"Have some goddamn patience, why don't you? As I was saying- These past few weeks the stations been getting some new missing persons reports, too; An abundance of them actually. Amar and I were put on the case. Most of the missing people were just members of factionless or people that kept to themselves in their former factions, not many family or friends to question. Think that's suspicious enough to make into a case?"

"Zeke- you know I don't want to get involved." Tobias had been approached numerous times to help out on cases but always declined. He didn't want to associate himself with the violence that was involved in Amar and Zeke's line of work.

"I'm not asking you to jump on the case!" Zeke exclaimed, hands coming up in a mock surrender. "All I'm asking if for a little advice from a former Dauntless and accomplished war hero!"

"Are you trying to charm me, Zeke?"

"Is it working?"

"Fine. I don't think it's a case. The fact that you're really only seeing factionless and loners as missing persons makes me think they're just runaways wanting a fresh start outside of the city. There might not be a correlation between that and the Fringe. With the city open I think it's normal to see people moving around." His words hung above the table as Zeke mulled them over.

"You sure you don't have an aptitude for Erudite?"

Four chuckled and finished off his beer in one swig. "Very sure."

"It makes sense, though. The runaway thing. I just find it weird how the majority of the reports are for women. You would think it would be more even, right?"

"That is a little concerning. It could definitely be something to look into."

"Yeah, I'll look into it."

Six, a bundle of fur underneath Four's chair, wined loudly making Zeke jump.

"Jesus, he's so quite. I keep forgetting he's there. I can see why you two get a long so well."

"Very funny, Zeke. I should get going, it's getting pretty late." Four stood up and slid his jacket back on. Six was already by the door, anxious to get home. "Thanks again for dinner. Tell Shauna goodbye for me, okay?"

Zeke slapped Tobias on the back as her passed. "Sure thing, man."

"Congrats again. I'm really happy for you guys." Four chuckled, on his way to the door.

"Something funny, Eaton?" Zeke craned his neck to see Four's retreating figure behind him.

"Just never thought I'd see the day you settled down, that's all." His friend threw his own head back and laughed. Tobias reached for his keys and was about to open the door when Zeke spoke once more.

"And Four?" Tobias froze with his hand on the doorknob. "Remember what I said. Just think about it, okay? No one would blame you. She would want you to be happy, you know that." His words were soft yet sharp at the same time, but Tobias knew he meant well. "I would offer to go on a double date with you but…." Four laughed fiercely at that and felt the tightness in his chest slowly unwind. "We all know how great those always end."

"Goodnight, Zeke."

"Goodnight, Four!" Zeke said in a singsong voice making Four chuckle again. He closed the door and walked towards the stairs with Six at his heels. The only noise after the door shut were the click clack of the canine's nails on the cement and they seemed to get louder and sharper with every step. As he passed each floor he couldn't help but feel the sinking feeling again, the one that had been following him for over a year now. Six rubbed his face against Tobias' calf, sensing his distress. He didn't feel like going home, he didn't feel like sleeping. He knew the big apartment would only feel more vacant and his bed that much smaller after Zeke's words. Tobias knew that if he closed his eyes his friend's sentences would wind themselves around his throat like a noose.

"We're going to make a quick pit stop, okay Stiff?" Six yipped sharply and continued to follow behind Four. His feet led him to the flat a few floors above his own. The shrill rapping of his knuckles on the wooden door were met with Christina's somber face. She took one look at Tobias' face before opening the door for him, wordlessly. Four showing up at random times during the night was not an unusual sight for Christina. She met Tobias' visit with a glass of scotch and a soft smile.

"It's been a bad day." Four murmured as his drink was placed in front of him. Christina sat opposite of him and just nodded softly. They lapsed into an easy silence, though the air felt heavy. Four felt a wet nose on his knee and scratched Six's ears. He downed his scotch and framed his head in between his hands, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes. He felt the familiar tightness squeeze itself around his middle and the stinging prick behind his eyes. His throat felt like it had been through a meat grinder.

"I miss her." He whispered. The words clattered onto the coffee table in between them. They scattered onto the wood in all different directions, exposed.

"I miss her, too, Four." Christina said softly. She offered Tobias a watery smile while refilling his drink. "I miss her, too."

 **Thank you so much for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts and any suggestions you have for the plot!** **J**

 **Question of the chapter –** ** _After reading Allegiant- do you think Four will ever move on? This has nothing to do with my story-just curious!_**

 **Lizzy**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, my lovely readers!**

 **Thank you so much for stopping bye. Once again, I'd love to thank you all for your always sweet and always kind and supportive reviews! They make my day a little brighter and always put a smile to my face!**

 **This chapter advances the plot A LOT! So please let me know if you see any…**

 **-plot inconsistencies**

 **-errors**

 **-or are confused in any way!**

 **I have not edited it haha!**

 **All rights go to VR!**

 **Enjoy!** **J**

The Guilt Trip

The next morning, Tobias woke to a wet nose pressed up against his neck and a paw to his face. Six was already up, sitting on his bed and looking at him expectantly: his thick, brown tail banging against the headboard with each swing. He would have happily stayed in bed for the rest of the morning; as his head was pounding and his mouth so dry he could barely swallow, but that was the punishment he knew he's have to endure after his fifth glass of Scotch.

He sat up and laced on his black trainers. "Alright, Stiff. We've got two hours before work. You want to go run?" His question was met with a shrill yip. Four peeled his shirt off and replaced it with a gray tank. Their brisk walk to the first floor turned into a sprint once their feet met the sidewalk. Tobias' shoes crunched against the fallen leaves and the crisp Autumn air bit at his cheeks. The runs Tobias took each morning were always the same route through the city. It had become routine, to see the same people each day. Sarah Cutler always walked her dog Maggie along the block at 7, the bakery across from the Ferris Wheel opened at 6, he would always see a group of bikers commuting to work across the sector where Erudite was, etc. It was usually quite and peaceful. The sun would rise and spill light across the pavement; a beautiful beginning to the day.

This was an unusual day, however. When Tobias and Six crossed the street to circle around what used to be the Abnegation sector, they were surprised to see flashing lights and an abundance of voices piercing the silent morning like bullets. Four closed the distance between himself and the crowd surrounding the corner home and saw a few familiar faces. Zeke stood stiffly near the door, face strained and serious; an unusual look for any Pedrad. Amar was also slinking through the shadows, talking to a distraught looking woman and scribbling down notes.

Four swiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He felt a chill creep up his back even though his body was sleek with sweat. He met Zeke's eyes and he nodded Four over with the jerk of his head.

"What's going on?" Four asked, his voice clipped and stressed.

"Another girl went missing early this morning. Third one this month." Zeke sighs heavily, his body slumping forward in exhaustion.

Tobias lets his eyes roam over the caution tape, the lights, the officers in uniform and the thick tension surrounding the area. He quirked his eyebrow at his friend, "Another…runaway?"

"Not quite." Amar's deep voice interrupted them. He held up his notes like they were a golden ticket. "Claire Harper. Nineteen years old. Brown hair, green eyes, five foot four; last seen wearing blue pajama shorts and a gray T-shirt. Two loving and kind parents worried sick and a little brother to look after. Not your typical runaway, don't you think?"

"You think it's bigger than that." Four inferred, his curiosity rising.

"Oh, I know it is." Amar rolled back on his heels. "We've got a witness this time saying he saw a white van outside their house this morning. Saw the girl being dragged into it, the works. From my memory, the only vans we see like that are usually-"

"In the fringe! Those vans work in the fringe! I've never seen one here." Four watched the facts run around in Zeke's head before the light finally went on. "Connected!" Zeke shoved Four making him take a few steps back. "I told you! I told you!"

"Looks like we've got a case." Amar said grimly, flipping through his notes once more.

"Yeah." Four replied, dread creeping up his spine. "Looks like you do."

For the remainder of the day and evening, Four couldn't seem to get the image of Claire Harper being dragged into a van out of his head. If Zeke's theory was true, just how many girls had been taken in the Fringe? Under his and Johanna's nose, even after being asked to help. Why hadn't he seen this?

He spent his day at work functioning on autopilot; signing off on documents and brainstorming with his team and Johanna as the hours passed. He couldn't shake this ghastly. It followed him to work, to lunch and even on his evening run. Six watched him anxiously, sensing his distress. Four peeled off his damp shirt and stepped into the shower. The hot water dripping down his back couldn't uncoil his tense muscles. Tobias pressed his forhead against the cool tile until the water ran cold and he was left feeling more anxious than before.

As much as he tried to fall asleep; he knew it would be a lost battle. He tossed and turned for hours. Imagines of stolen women playing behind his eyelids. Finally, conceding in this fight, he jumped out of bed to riffle through his drawers to find a decent shirt and sweats. He ambles through his dark apartment until he reaches the door.

"Stay here, Stiff. I'll be back soon."

His feet, heavy with fatigue, lead him up to Zeke's apartment. He knocks softly but isn't surprised to see his friend open up the door almost immediately; letting Four in without a word as if he were expecting him. Tobias sees what used to be the Pedrad's dining room table is now covered with reports, grainy pfotographs and records.

"He likes to take his work home with him." Shauna murmurs from the kitchen, tea mug clasped between her hands.

Upon the cluttered tabletop, one photo stood out from the rest. Four spun it around with his fingers for a better look. "This her?"

"Yeah. That's Claire." Zeke said softly, his nose in a book. "That's our damsel in distress of the evening; among many more." He gestures to the other pile of woman just beside Claire.

Four felt his eyebrows shoot up his forehead. "You think all these woman were taken?"

"Not sure. We don't think Claire's the first, though. Some are destined to be runaways, but there has been a handful of cases in the last month or two that seem a little suspicious." Zeke explained, scratching behind his ear with a pencil.

"How so?"

"Some are from families still together after the war. Loving parents, siblings, stuff like that. That's just not something you walk away from." Tobias hummed in agreement.

"Where's Amar? Shouldn't he be helping you with all this, Zeke?"

"He's leading a team into the Fringe. They think they might have a chance of identifying the van we saw. It's worth a shot." Four nodded though he wasn't so sure. The Fringe was a huge maze with countless corners to hide in. They'd have to cover a lot of ground to find their vehicle. He flipped through the photos trying to put a name to the dozen's of faces.

"They look young."

"Some are only in their early twenties; claire the youngest so far. IF we are looking at kidnappings these bastards are getting braver and going for the younger girls." Zeke grumbled. "I can't believe we missed this."

"We just got over a war. Don't beat yourself up about this. We're all surprised."

"Yeah but-" The shrill ring of Zeke's pager interrupted their conversation and made them both jump, like tense coiled wires being sprung.

"Pedrad." Zeke answered. "Jesus-You're sure? Positive?" He leaped out of his chair sending it over backwards in the rush to get his keyes and coat. " I'm on my way." Sometime between kissing Shauna goodbye and slipping his shoes on- he addressed Four. "I've got to go. Amar found the van. We think Claire Harper might still be close."

 **THANK YOU FOR READING!**

 **Sorry for the short update- next time it will be longer I swear!**

 **I love to hear your feedback-Please let me know what you think!**

 **Question of the chapter – Besides Four or Tris, whom is your favorite character in the Divergent Series?**

 **Why?**

 **Lizzy**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, my lovely readers!**

 **Again- I must thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I'm always so happy to see how eager you guys are for updates! They always bring a smile to my face! You are all too kind.** **J**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I was up all night trying to finish it early, just because of your guys' amazing support!**

 **All rights go to VR!**

Uncharted Territory

Tobias knew, from past experiences, that when Zeke and Amar got a case this vast; he shouldn't expect to see them for a while. When they got a break this big they spent every living and waking moment on the situation while their superiors breathed down their necks. Four didn't really mind. If anything it relieved him. The few moments he spent with them while on a case were full of irritable grunts, stressed and tense body language and very little enjoyable moments until the situation was solved.

In this case, though, Tobias felt differently. This case in particular seemed to follow him everywhere. He always found himself slowing his pace on his morning runs near the abnegation sector; just to get a glimpse into the Harper residence. Their blinds were always shut tightly, seeming to ward off not only light but all forms of interaction, as well. At night, it was rare that sleep would find him. He often lay awake, facing the window; wondering what girls were home safe and which ones were in danger. How could he sleep with thoughts like that? The sun would disappear behind the city and take whatever calm he felt with it.

He hadn't felt this paranoid and stressed since Jeanine Matthews tried to take over the city. Back then it had been easier to bare. He had Tris to share the burden. This was one of those nights where he would seek her out to talk to her; spend the night beside her or just be in her presence. This, in particular, was a night where her absence was more pressing. It felt like he was in the confining box and the walls were closing in rapidly. He'd become accustomed to living his life without Tris, but the reality of her loss still staggered him at times. He would lay down and try to calm his weary heart. He would let Six sleep on the bed next to him, just to make it a little less empty. Childish -he knew- but necessary for his sanity at times.

The next two days passed in what felt like months. He hadn't heard any news on the raid from Amar or Zeke. They spent every moment at the station and whatever time left was for their significant others which Tobias felt uncomfortable intruding upon. He knew this must be the biggest case they had had in years- so he didn't think that much of it. Considering this, he was very surprised to receive a knock on his door at 11pm from no other than Zeke Pedrad.

"Good evening, Four!" Zeke announced, letting himself in.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Zeke?" Tobias moaned, resting his forehead against the doorframe.

"We come bearing gifts!" He revealed, holding up a bottle of scotch.

"We?" Tobias asked, cringing.

"Yes, we!" Amar stated, passing through Four's doorway as if it were his own. Four groaned before leading them into the kitchen to grab three glasses. The men made small talk- asking Four about work and confiding in him about their last few days as well. They revealed that they had not been able to locate Claire Harper, which made Tobias reach for more scotch. When Four pressed for any leads, his friends skirted around the topic or immediately changed the subject which made Tobias' eyebrow quirk and his suspicion rise. Finally, after having to sit through Amar's anxiously tapping fingers and Zeke's bouncing leg- he cracked.

"Alright." Four interrupted the men. He leaned forward, downed his scotch and laced his fingers together. "What do you want?"

"Want?" Zeke asked, looking scandalized. "What makes you think we want anything from you, Four?" He scoffed and looked over at Amar for backup.

"You're a great partner, Zeke but you can't act for shit." Amar said dryly. "We're caught."

"Fine! Just concede! Six here has more of a spine than you do, Amar." Zeke sneered, gesturing to the dog resting underneath the table who's head cocked in surprise. "If you're so talkative why don't you ask him?" Amar rolled his eyes before meeting Four's gaze.

"We may or may not need your help on the case." He announced firmly, cringing at Four's groan that followed. "We know- _we are aware-_ " He spoke over Four's groan and hushed him with a wave of his hand. "that you don't like to get involved with Police work. But this isn't just a case. We're not talking about car jacking's or stolen property here, like we were last time we asked. We're talking about human lives, Tobias." Four's eyes flashed angrily at the sound of his given name. There was only one person he tolerated calling him that and it sure as hell wasn't Amar.

"My answer is still no, Amar." He spoke firmly, indicating the subject was over. Amar exhaled heavily through clenched teeth and clasped his hands together in frustration. "Look." His eyes flashed to Zeke's whom gave a swift nod. "We're really not supposed to disclose anything about the case. But Zeke and I… we're really grasping at straws here. My team and I closed in on the van. And Claire…" He paused and Four watched as his upper lip disappeared between his teeth. "She wasn't there." From the corner of his eyes he saw Zeke run a hand through his hair. "We searched 5 miles in every direction, got dogs on the scene, we did everything but couldn't find a single lead. Sargent has been up our asses ever since."

Tobias' only answer was his silence. He nodded shortly and finished his scotch letting Amar's words soak in. Zeke leaned forward and ducked his head to meet Four's eyes. "We didn't find anything in the fringe." He shook his head as if warding off a bad memory. "But we did find something in the van." Four's head dipped up in interest and Zeke smirked with his small victory. "There was some sick shit in there, Four. And a lot of it." Both officers cringed simultaneously and Four couldn't help but suppress a shiver. "Restraints, drugs, torn clothing and weapons…" He listed them uneasily while turning his glass on the table; creating rings on top of the wood. "But that's not what we need your help with. There was something else in the van. Something that _we_ thought" He gestured to Amar and himself. "would break the case wide open."

"Which is?" Four barked, losing his patience.

"A laptop. It was a laptop. Basically the computers we had in the control room but in portable form." Zeke explained when seeing Four's quirked eyebrow. He reached under the table to pull out a shiny silver device and setting it onto the table between them like an offering. "We've been told it's the same software as the ones in the control room. Which means there's a chance that there's information on that laptop, information that we really, really need to solve this case."

"So start up the damn computer, Zeke!" Four sneered.

"That's where we're stuck." Amar replied, eerily calm. Our tech team can't break into it. The laptop has multiple fire blocks-"

"Walls." Four broke in. "They're called firewalls."

Amar smirked, making Four think that it would have been wise of him to have kept his mouth shut. "That right there," He pointed his finger at Tobias making him sit up straight in his seat and furrow his brows. "Is what I'm talking about. This is where you come in, Four." Zeke and Amar fidgeted in their seats in anticipation immediately putting Four on edge. "Our tech team has tied their brains into knots trying to break through the firewalls. Hell, they think there's multiple firewalls and even codes that need to be cracked to break into this laptop. So far, they've had no luck. And we can't waste any time on this." Zeke's leg started twiddling under the table. "We were hoping you could take a crack at it, Four." Amar said, cautiously, as if calming a toddler on the verge of a tantrum. He reached over the table, his arm hovering near the center as if crossing into uncharted territory. Fours eyes burned a hole into the back of Amar's hand as he lifted the lid of the computer, revealing a flashing screen with a series of code running across the display.

Tobias scoffed an crossed his arms, letting his eyes roam up to the ceiling. "What makes you think that I would have any luck if your whole tech team can't even break through the first firewall?"

"I've seen what you can do with a computer, Four, I've worked beside you for two years in that control room. You know more codes than anyone on that job and I would bet money that you have more experience than any of those damn Erudite goons over at the station." Zeke pressed, annunciating every word with the slide and punch of his pointer finger on the table like a coach discussing a play. "You know the software of computers like you know the mechanics of a gun." Tobias ran his hands over his face, noticing he stubble that scratched his palm. He gazed out of the window, unable to meet his friend's eyes.

"We could really use your help, Four." Amar's voice prodded him gently. His words soft as satin.

Tobias was quiet as he mulled over his friend's request. "I understand the pressure that you both are under, and the severity of the situation." He began, placing both elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together. "But you already know my answer." He closed his eyes his eyes tightly as he heard Amar and Zeke's gruff groans and hands falling onto the table in exasperation. "The last time I got myself involved in a thing like this…" His gaze met the table and his hands started to tremor by his side. His voice felt raw and vulnerable; a stranger to his own ears. "I lost a lot of friends and I made a lot of mistakes. I would rather not get in the middle of this type of situation again."

"I get that. I really do, Four. But when you have an opportunity to help people-"

Tobias shook his head and laughed without humor. "I really don't know how many times I have to tell you my answer, Amar. How many more times do I have to say no until you get that I'm not interested in this case?" He hissed

Amar flinched like he'd been stung. He leaned back in his chair, nodding solemnly and licking his lips, mulling over his next words. He leaned forward, mouth open as if to say something and then closing it again. "You know, I never thought I would say this but I am disappointed in you, Four; for not helping your friends and for not helping out the innocent woman who are being taken against their will and doing god knows what." Four's eyes hardened at his friends cruel words. From the corner of his eye he saw Zeke watching nervously from his seat; eyes crossing back and forth like he was watching a tennis match.

"I think we're done here." Four said through clenched teeth, grinding them together in irritation.

"I couldn't agree more." Amar leveled with him; standing up and throwing his napkin onto the table. "We just thought, out of everyone, you could relate to this case the most."

"The hell is that suppose to mean?" Tobias' anger peaking; his hidden veins making an appearance underneath the skin of his neck.

"What it means is there are woman being taken and killed right underneath your nose and you're not doing a damn thing about." Amar growled pointing an accusing finger at Tobias. "They're sisters, mothers, wives and _girlfriends_ , Four. And they're being taken away from their loved ones; some of them may never see their families again. Does that sound familiar, _Four?!"_ Amar spit, his words hitting Tobias' skin like a thousand knives. Zeke cringed near the corner; wincing as if waiting for a bomb to explode.

"Is that what you think? Is that what you think this is about?! Tris? You think you have the right to bring her up like this?!" Four shouted, rising from his seat and pounding the table with each word, making the glasses rattle against the wooden top. "Want to know what I think? I think that you should leave, Amar. In fact, I'm _telling_ you to leave!" He roared, pointing toward his front door. " _Now."_

Four was clammy with anger. He clenched his hands against the table to keep them from trembling. "Both of you. Leave." Tension covered them like a blanket, swaddling them all with anxiety.

He watched Amar scoff and strut toward the door. Only pausing when he reached the doorknob to lock eyes with Tobias one more time before ripping it open. His gaze leaking with frustration. "Let's go, Zeke."

Zeke scampered toward the table warily and collected his belongings- dropping the majority and cursing. He shoved them all into his bag, mumbling incoherently. Four poured himself another drink and turned toward the window; resting his palms on the sill. He ducked his head toward his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Zeke on his hands and knees gathering his dropped possessions.

"Zeke." Tobias called. His friend yipped in surprise, banging his head on the table above him.

"Ye-Ow!-Yes? Me? Yes?" Zeke scrambling to his feet and straightening out his shirt.

"Leave the computer." Four said simply, rolling up his sleeves and taking another sip of his scotch.

"What-Wh….Are you serious?" Zeke stumbled over his words, eyes wide with disbelief and tinted with excitement around the edges.

"You heard me, Zeke. Leave it." Four faced the window once more, watching the cars leisurely move below him. He could hear Zeke's feet scamper around in a victory dance.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this, I _swear_!" Zeke shouted in enthusiasm.

"Leave the computer and get the hell out of my apartment, Zeke." Four growled angrily from his perch at the window.

"Yes-right away!" Zeke replied. The room was silent until it was met with a clutter of footsteps and a sloppy kiss on Tobias' cheek.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Pedrad?!" Four snarled, wiping his wet cheek with the back of his hand and shoving his friend off of him. "Get the hell out!"

"I love you, Four!" Zeke shouted as he retreated out of Tobias' kitchen.

"Out!"

 **Thank you for reading! I would love it if you could leave me a review letting me know what you thought!**

 **Question of the chapter: What do you guys think is hidden on that computer? ;)**

 **Thank again for stopping by!**

 **Lizzy**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, my lovely readers!**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter- it took me a while to write it because I wanted to get it just right!**

 **Again- thank you for all the reviews! I always love hearing what you all have to say! It makes my heart swell 3**

 **As for the people complaining about how slow the plot is moving- I completely see your point. I know it must be aggravating. I really care about this plot and this story. I'd like to take my time with it as one of my biggest pet peeves about fanfictions is how some authors let the whole plot unveil within the first two chapters. I like putting a lot of effort and time in my stories- in particular this one as it's my first chapter story. I hope you don't mind! I promise the plot will get here. AS much as I would love to give you guys big chapters, I really just don't have the time. I don't want to keep you guys waiting so I give you these medium size ones, and I hope it will suffice for the time being!**

Cold Comfort

This was one of the particular nights were Tobias was reminded of how much he enjoyed living alone. He was at peace with only Six's soft breathes and the crackling fire piercing the silence that surrounded him. The hum of the computer was oddly soothing. As much as Tobias didn't want to admit it, he had missed sharp the click of the keys and the tick of the mouse. It reminded him of a much simpler office with a much simpler during much simpler times. His fingers flew over the keyboard knowing exactly which keys to hit like no time had passed. It was early in the morning, coming up on 3 A.M and his apartment was swathed in silence. The lingering footsteps of his neighbors had disappeared with the rising of the moon. The orange blaze of the fire licked the edges of his carpet and its shadows flickered over the fur on Six's back as he lounged leisurely between the couches.

The green glow of the computer had been glaring at Four for the past two and a half hours. During that time Tobias had managed to break through two of the firewalls successfully. However, every time the code breached and the screen faded to black, another series of green lettering appeared once again; sending Tobias' fist to the table and a startled Six to his feet.

As comforting as the software seemed, the aura lost it's touch very quickly. Four, being a member of Dauntless for years, was competitive by nature. Considering this, losing to a computer did not sit very well with him. He had been staring at the computer in front of him for hours; so long that he believed the next time he shut his eyes, he'd see the code running behind he's eyelids, haunting him. Crumpled up pieces of paper scattered around the table with scribbled numbers and notes printed on them. The end of his pencil was almost chewed through due to the anxious grinding of his teeth. Four's fingers flew across the board, expelling his final attempt at cracking the code and the last of Four's energy with it. Tobias watched as the numbers flashed across the screen. He leaned back in his chair and watched impatiently. "Just give me something," He murmured into the clenched fist clasped underneath his chin. "Anything."

He knew he should have turned in hours ago. However, it wasn't just the code keeping him up tonight; it was Amar's words as well. _We just thought out of everyone, you could relate to this case the most._ Those words were swimming laps around his head, muddling all of his coherent thoughts. Mentions of Tris, from his friends or even the reminders scattered around the city, seemed to call out to her memory. The black and white images he had of her became screaming in color; demanding attention. He could submerge himself in her memory, letting her touch and gaze lap at his skin. He could float there for hours-and on good days-he would. Tobias could close his eyes and feel her slim arms sleek over his shoulders and down his chest to where his dauntless flames were seared onto his skin. He would feel her cheek, smooth as satin, scratch across the stubble on his jaw; it creating a striking contrast, like fire and ice. He would reach behind him and run his calloused hands down Tris' arm. Thin as it may look, Tobias knew they were as strong as steel. Her blonde locks would trickle down his upper arm and tickle the back of his neck. But those memories, warm and inviting as they may seem, could drown him in an instant. As soon as he came to, he would notice his arm was tracing thin air and that the pressure on his chest wasn't from Tris' arms but from his splitting ribcage.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew Amar's words held a certain truth. He could infer, like Amar did, how this case should have taken a more personnel pinch at him. However, as abnegation as Tobias was, he was also selfish when it came to Tris- especially after her death. He was vain enough to assume that there wasn't any amount of pain to compete with the one he felt when Tris was torn from him. He was selfish in the way that he believed no one's love- for mother, for sister, for daughter- could compete against the kind he had for her.

A sudden hum brought Four out of his thoughts. His eyes, which had blurred over from his daydream, focused back onto the computer once more. There was series of flashes and scrambling numbers before the screen was blanketed in a dull green background. One that Four was very familiar with.

It was the simple layout of a desktop.

He was in.

There was a brief moment- of mere seconds really- where Tobias felt the urge to snoop. He had spent the last 3 hours sweating and cursing over this scrap of metal; he couldn't deny that he was little curious about what content could possibly be so secretive and important to require six firewalls to defend it. However, when his eyes raked over the screen hungrily, he found it to be almost painfully boring. The backdrop was a pasty green, uninviting in itself. There were very little files stored on the desktop, and even those were pale and average; with only numbers to differentiate them.

The end result was dreadfully dull and anti-climactic, making Tobias' shoulders sag and the fatigue he had spent the last few hours trying to ignore, finally seep into his system. He finally decided to turn in for the night, and that a voicemail to Zeke would suffice enough.

After a brief mumbling of his success into the receiver of his cell phone, Tobias fell into bed. His unmade bed, lonely as it was, never looked so inviting. It was washed out in pale moonlight streaming in from the cracks where the curtains kissed. Dark and eerie-just how Tobias liked it. He managed to kick off his shoes and peel of his shirt before his exhaustion guided his eyelid shut and his mind into sweet oblivion.

Four dreamed a dark cloud was suffocating him. It had an iron grip like fists and smelled oddly like caffeine. When his eyelids lifted, so did the fog in his head. The dark cloud above him had dimples and eyebrows, and apparently- spoke English.

"Where is it? You did it! Where is it?" A pasty hand slapped him lightly on the face. "Cmon, wake up, man!"

Like water had been poured on him, Four woke with a start. "Zeke?! How the hell did you get in?" He growled, pushing his friend off of his to get to his dresser.

"You sleep without a shirt? That's kind of hot, Four." He winked.

Tobias just rolled his eyes. "It's in the kitchen." He said dryly, baiting his friend. The trick worked, and Zeke flashed out before Tobias even finished his sentence. He tore off his jeans and shrugged on a pair of sweats, catching Six's eyes as he bent down.

"You let him in? Seriously?" The German Shepard just wined deeply, resting his chin on his paw. "We'll talk about this later." Tobias followed his friend into the kitchen.

"Oh man," Zeke groaned, a little too passionately for Tobias' comfort. "You really did it. This- this is…" Zeke stroked the screen gently.

"Should I give you two some time alone?" Tobias asked from behind the counter, fixing himself a cup of coffee.

"Har, har, yes, _very_ funny, Four." His friend responded. "Have you called Amar?"

"Nope." Four stated simply, hiding behind the mug he brought to his lips. "I thought I'd leave that to you."

"Oh c'mon, you know he was just trying to help!" Zeke whined. Four raised his eyebrows at his friend, staring intently at his face.

"Really. Trying to help?" He growled.

"Okay, he was a total dick!" Zeke surrendered, shoving his palms toward Four in a mock surrender. "But you know he's been stressed over this mess. He'll probably apologize in a few hours." Four just hummed in agreement, already wanting this conversation to be over.

"As much fun as this whole angsty love triangle between my two best friends isssss…" Zeke droned dramatically, laptop closed and pressed into his side, carried like a precious jewel. Four nodded his head toward the door.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

True to Zeke's word, Amar showing up an hour and half later. Four was getting ready to leave for work and opened the door to reveal his own former instructor; hand raised to knock. They stared at each other for a brief moment, none of them breaking their composure. Finally Amar dropped his raised hands and shrugged them into his jean pockets. "May I come in?" He said gruffly, swallowing his pride. Four's only response was a curt nod of his head. He pressed himself closer to the doorframe, allowing Amar to pass through. He settled himself hesitantly, leaning against the kitchen table. An awkward silence engulfed them, both of them too stubborn to speak first.

"About the other night," Amar said, running a hand through his hair uncomfortably. "I was out of line. There was… absolutely no reason for me to bring up Tris like that. I was…" He drifted, searching his head for the right words.

"A dick?" Four finished for him, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows at Amar.

"Yeah. Yeah, I was." Amar chuckled, lips pulling up in a small smile. "I know how you feel about her. Feel about her still. I just…I just really needed your help."

"I get it." Tobias said curtly, already wishing this conversation to be over. "No blood, no foul." He turned, indicating the conversation was over. He migrated to the refrigerator, where he fixed Amar and himself a glass of water. Amar relaxed immediately, neither of them much for talking.

The officer's eyes drifted to the scatterings of various papers littering the tabletop. His fingers shifted through them.

"Are these your notes?" He asked, interested.

"Yes. For the different firewalls." Each piece of paper held different letters, many of them crossed out. The ones left, the ones representing the series of letters used to break in, were left circled. "Something I missed?" Tobias asked, itching to know what he had overlooked.

"No, no I don't think so. I'm was just thinking, I mean they have to mean something." Amar spoke, hands shifting through the papers. Four's eyes furrowed, mulling over this idea. "How many walls were there?"

"Six in total." Four murmured, now staring intently at his own scribbles.

"Does it seem odd to you? All the vowels?" Amar asked, suspicion rising.

"It is abnormal." Four agreed, meeting Amar's eye over the pile of papers. "You only see this many in names." Both of their hands froze, knowing they were on to something.

"What were the letters on the first firewall?"

"Only three. S, A and H."

"The others?"

"Second wall: I, S, P, A, O, H. Third: E, S, R and O." He responded, handing Amar the appropriate papers. "Fourth: B, I, A, L, S, E , L, A. Fifth was E, S, L, A, N, E. Could be names of cities, places, too." Four murmured, watching Amar's hand fly across the paper, unscrambling the words. "Last was only three. E, B and A."

"Or names." Amar stated, circling various words in finality. Four's eyes followed the marks in lead, reading as he went. "Ash, Sophia, Rose, Isabella, Selena, and Abe."

Amar rubbed his temples and slumped in his chair, a groan escaping his lips. "Do these names mean anything to you?" Tobias asked, leaning towards his former superior.

"Sophia Sirquez. A reported runway, missing a year and a half ago. Rosalie O' hara; went missing about a week after. The rest of them, I don't know. But if it follows the pattern…"

"Then there are more girls than we know of." Four finished, dropping his pencil onto the table in exasperation. "I've got to tell Joanna."

"Hang on. Ash and Abe…that doesn't seem like it fits." Amar muttered, hands returning to the papers.

"Ash could be short for Ashley." Four added. "But Abe… Definitely doesn't fit the theme of women's names." He agreed. They met eyes over the table, both showing excessive forms of exhaustion. "You should call Zeke. Has he found anything on the computer?"

"He's going through it right now." Amar replied, fishing his cellular out of his coat pocket. "I have to meet him in a few."

"What do you think is on that computer?" Four couldn't help but ask, clenching a pencil in his fist so hard the whites of his knuckles showed.

"At this point," Amar started, standing up and shrugging on his coat. "I really don't think I want to find out."

Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to hear what you guys think!

As of right now, I'm a high school senior who's being buried in AP classes, club, SATs and college apps- so it might take a week or two for updates, but I promise you I will not abandon this story!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

 **Question of the chapter: What do you think is the significance of the last firewall password, Abe? Hint: unscramble the letters! ;)**

 **Leave me a review of what you got and how you think it relates to the story!**

Reviews make me update faster!

Lizzy


	7. Chapter 7

Hello, my lovely readers!

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for leaving you all hanging. There's no excuse for why I've been gone for so long, but just know that it there was any time for me to have updated, I would have. Senior year has been non-stop craziness for me, but I'm officially done with my standardized testing (29 on the Act! Whoo-hoo!) and am finishing up most of my college applications which means I will have much, much more time to update!

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Thank you all for your patience and ongoing support- you mean the world to me!

In the Limelight

Just like the day he was having, the stairs up to Amar's floor seemed to drag on endlessly. Each step made his calves burn and seemed to add an additional weight to his chest, making his shoulders sag. He had full faith of his partner, Zeke, and the Police force. However, with the kidnappings happening right under his nose without his co-workers even batting their eyes was humiliating and above all, infuriating. He had an hour to kill before the debriefing of the information of the laptop, but he couldn't bring himself to relax. He knew that if he didn't keep busy, the names of the missing and possibly already deceased women he let slip through his fingers, would start circling around his head, taunting him. Two floors before his flat, he paused and turned on his heel, to floor 102 where Zeke and Shauna's flat resided.

After the fourth rap on the door without an answer, Amar's gut started to twist. He added pressure to the door and was thoroughly surprised when it gave way with a squeal.

"Zeke? Shauna?" He asked timidly, slipping between the door. He could see the back of his partner's head, hunched over the dining room table, hands clasped around his mouth, staring intently at the laptop.

"He's been like this for hours." Shauna's soft voice spoke from the corner. "He won't tell me what's wrong," Her voice took on a gravely edge, "Seems to think I'm incompetent at understanding or something." She sneered over her shoulder as she wheeled herself out of the room and into the bedroom. Zeke's frozen figure didn't even flinch as she slammed the door behind her.

Amar walked to Zeke carefully, much like you would a sleeping lion. He pulled out a chair to sit adjacently to his friend and sat down slowly. The rom was silent except for the hum of the computer and the constant bouncing of Zeke's right leg. He was still staring at the computer, though it has faded to a black screen long ago.

"Zeke." Amar said softly, trying to break into his attention.

"So much screwed up shit…" He murmured under his breath, blank eyes still glued to the computer. "But it's impossible-" His eyebrows scrunched up as if trying to solve a puzzle.

"Zeke."

"…can't be true-"

" _Zeke!"_ Amar growled, fiercely. His friends eyes flashed to his face and he could see the gears turning behind his eyes. He knew that Zeke, always smiling and cheeky, even in the face of danger, was not easily disheveled. Whatever he saw, must of really effected him. A part of Amar, the part he most often shielded, wanted to leave the room and book a train ticket to outside the fence. He didn't know that the case could get any worse, but if whatever Zeke saw affected him this badly- his gut told him he had spoken far too soon.

"What did you find?" Amar breathed, leaning in close to his partner's face so their conversation wouldn't be overheard. Zeke's eyes flickered from the computer screen to Amar's face. The silence that stretched between them was only disturbed by the constant bouncing of Zeke's knee.

"Is Four here?" He whispered.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Amar asked, genuinely surprised.

"Is he?" Zeke presses urgently.

"No. No, he left to talk to Johanna."

Zeke nodded solemnly and leaned forward as if to block the laptop from sight. He rubbed his palms on his jeans, nervously. Amar leaned back in his chair, astonished at his friend's antics.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, Zeke?" Zeke scrubbed his hands across his face aggressively, then laced his long fingers together, clasping his thumbs together under his chin.

"I think…" Zeke paused with a wince, like the words caused him physical pain. "That we broke the case."

Amar pressed his eyes close and took a deep breath through his nose, trying to calm the hysteria that was already clawing at his heart. "If we succeeded in breaking the case…why do you look like you've just seen a ghost, Zeke?"

"That's the problem, Zeke. I think I just did." The room was bathed in stillness as Amar mulled over Zeke's words.

"Show me." He finally spoke. Zeke raised his eyes to Amar's, his brown orbs almost pitying Amar for what he was about to learn. His hands ghosted over the thumb pad on the laptop until it hummed to life. Amar's eyes flashed with surprise when it revealed an ordinary desktop.

"I know. Looks so normal it's almost eerie. But, as you look at the files, most of them hidden, and decrypt a few firewalls, it starts to get dicey." The technical terms exposed the roots that were still tangled in his past life, working in the control room.

"Jesus." Amar breathed, as dozens of blurry images flashed onto the screen, all at once. "Are those all.."

"The missing women? Yeah. There's a lot more than we originally thought." Zeke answered gravely. The grainy photos showed close to thirty women, all scandalously clad in lace and cotton undergarments. Many of them restrained to a wall or bed, with cloth gags placed in their mouths. "I think we can confirm our suspicions about the purpose of the kidnappings."

"You're thinking it's a sex trade?" Amar inferred.

"I'm thinking it's a slave ring. And with the lack of clothing, no men involved, I think these girls are being sold as sex slaves." Amar nodded grimly and looked up to the ceiling. He shook his head bitterly, attempting to rid his mind of the images. Working beyond the wall, he was aware of all the horrors that came with the war, but he hadn't expected them to come into their enclosed environment. A suspicion was one thing, but seeing it confirmed was another. There was never a face to the fear he had since Claire was missing. Now there were thirty; each of them with the same, desperate and fearful gaze in their eyes. "Do you know if any of them have their names listed?"

"No, just their head shots, why?" Zeke asked.

"The firewalls Four broke through- all the codes were names. We think they're the names of the women that had been abducted."

"That's a high possibility. There are thirty girls here. I'm sure they have theirn favorites." Zeke said bitterly.

"That's sick." Amar spat.

"I'm afraid that's not the worst part. Amar." Zeke confessed. "There's something else you need to see." Amar nodded grimly at Zeke to continue, and watched anxiously as his partner sifted through the photos. Finally he settled on one, and leaned back to reveal it to Amar. The grainy photo was an outlier among the others. The girl in the photo looked young, and had both a gag and a blindfold. She was frail, with birdlike bones peaking out from under her soiled camisole. A hand was captured in the still life, grasping harshly underneath the girls chin, forcing her face toward the camera.

"So they have been targeting young girls." Amar deduced. "This girl can't be more than 16."

"Look closer." Zeke muttered.

Amar complied with his partner's request, and took a second look. "Those bastards sure did a number on her" He noted, tracing the bruises on her neck with his finger. "Looks like she has a tattoo on her chest-oh." Amar paused with his finger in mid-air, beginning to tremble. "I see."

"Yeah." Zeke murmured, chewing on his nail beds. "That's our ghostie."

Amar scoffed and leaned back in his chair, raking his hands through his hair. His eyes flashed back to the dimly lit computer screen, where the three dark blurbs of ink were scattered on her right collarbone. "Look," He started hesitantly, "this looks bad, I'll admit that, okay? The tattoos, the age- but, but I saw her body, Zeke, I _saw_ it. Lying on the slab, cold and pale." Zeke nodded, eyes squeezed shut in concentration. "The tattoos could be anything, okay? And her eyes and mouth, they're both covered. There's no way to be sure." His voice hardened in certainty, as if trying to convince himself. "There's no way to be sure."

Zeke was silent, mulling over his partner's words. "Her nose." He finally whispered.

"What was that?"

"I said her nose." He said more confidently. "It was the first thing I noticed. The first thing that reminded me of her."

"You know it's not possible." Amar pressed.

"I know it _shouldn't_ be possible." He sighed deeply and traced the screen with the pad of his thumb, as if to clear up the image. "I just miss her. I miss all of them. As sick as it sounds, I kind of wished it were true. Would be nice to save at least one of them, to bring one of them back."

Amar was silent as he mulled over his friends vulnerable words. "We can't bring them back." He whispered, feeling his chest contract with grief. "But we can bring them back." He gestured to the computer screen, where the thirty faces resided. "That should be our main focus right now. We couldn't help the others, but we cant help them. And that should count for something." Zeke nodded, determination replacing the melancholy in his eyes. "Tell me how this breaks the case."

Zeke took the bait and leaned forward, rubbing his hands together like it was below freezing. "Okay. So it's obvious there's a gang or group of people running the show." His finger pointed to the burly hand grasping the women's chin. "The motivation for all trade is money, so they're selling these girls."

"I'm following you." Amar nodded and waved Zeke to continue.

"But if it was an enclosed business of sorts, where men come to them, why would they need pictures of the women?"

"To send out to the men, give them an incentive to choose who they…want?" Amar couldn't hide the disgusted tone in his voice.

"That's one possibility. Why else would they need the pictures? But if you look more closely," He thumbed over the mouse pad to zoom in on the bottom left corner of the image. "You can see a water mark almost, or some sort of code imprinted. It appears on every photo."

"What exactly does that mean? That they're marking their photos?" He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I'm not a tech junkie like you or Four, Zeke." He growled impatiently.

"Worse. This kind of mark usually indicated the photos were taken from another place, usually dragged from a website or program." Zeke spoke grimly, grinding his teeth as he thumbed through the photos.

"That seems like it's a long shot."

"Could be. But, there are some photos without the watermark. And I know for a fact they're new photos, recently shot. IF you put two and two together you could guess that they don't have the watermark because they haven't been uploaded to the site yet, that they're not up for sale just yet."

"Which photos?" Amar asked cautiously, knowing he wasn't going to like what he was about to see. Zeke's hands hovered over the mouse pad, this time clicking on a new folder. Amar groaned loudly as Claire Harper's face occupied the screen.

"That's the evidence we have to prove that they are operating behind a larger program, a website of some sorts- to attract more business. This isn't a chain or small operation; it's a huge network, possibly operating in multiple cities in and out of the Fringe. More than half the girls are unrecognizable, because we've never seen them before, because they could have been abducted from outside our walls."

"That would back up Four and I's theory. The names coding the firewalls- we only recognized two. The rest were strangers, outside our jurisdiction."

"These abductions aren't just from Chicago- they could be from anywhere." Zeke murmered.

Amar dropped his head into his hands and cursed, wondering if the situation could get any worse. "And just how do we find this website and or program?" He hissed into his palm.

"It would take some digging, and some serious computer skills. Ones that I don't think I'm qualified for. I've tried to distinguish the watermark-but I can't decipher it with the grainy photos- and even if I could, I really don't think I could just search the watermark on the Internet. This whole operation seems way too sophisticated for that." Zeke's fingers flew across the keyboard at lightening speed, readjusting the photos and trying out different filters and contrasts, but the mage just got blurrier.

"The person who could do this no sweat would be Four." Amar whispered.

Zeke lifted his head and met Amar's eyes. "You know why we can't do that. He's notice her- just like you did." He said softly. Zeke let his eyes drift to the girl trapped in the computer screen. "He's been doing better lately-we can't jeopardize that."

"I know that." Amar barked at Zeke. "But I think the women that need our help are a little more important than Four's feelings right now."

"You're probably right. But you saw the way he acted when I brought her up last night. You've seen the photos he keeps of her. Yes, he's doing better but you and I both remember the way he was when she died. This-" He gestured to the photograph, "would absolutely destroy him. There are bullets and words that can do endless damage on a human but there is nothing more destructive than false hope. Nothing."

Amar was suddenly reminded of Uriah, lying on the hospital bed, motionless, with Hana and Zeke, grasping his pale hands, praying. "Okay." He finally conceded. "No Four."

"No Four." Zeke repeated. "But there is someone else that can help us." He stated. "It might be a long shot- but's it's worth a try."

"Who do you have in mind?" Amar pressed.

"I think it's time we give our former Erudites a call." He grinned mischievously. "Against Sargent's orders of course."

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And that's a wrap for today! After this week I should be a lot less busy as my college apps will all be finished! I promise every second that's not going into school or sports will go into this story! I appreciate everyone's ongoing love and support- please don't lose faith in me! J

Question of the chapter- which former Erudite do you think will show up in the next chapter?

Also- would you guys like to see a brief Tris POV?

Lizzy


	8. Chapter 8

:)Hello, my lovely readers! Because of your unrelenting support and love, I have taken the time to give you all a treat! A brief TRIS POV! It was originally suppose to be a little snippet, maybe a few paragraphs, but my fingers couldn't stop flying across the keyboard and it ended up to be 1200 words! But I hope you enjoy!

I wanted to also warn you that there will be a lot of unanswered questions in this chapter. I've intodced many plot themes and characters here that you guys won't find out more about until later, but I promise you it will all come full circle in the end! Bear with me J

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Sun and Shadows

Darkness. It was a peculiar factor when applied to Tris' life. While in Abnegation, Tris would prosper in darkness. She remembers feeling so safe and warm when it was just her, her bed and complete darkness. (night lights were considered foolishly selfish). With no prying eyes judging her every move and no light to highlight her imperfections, she felt sheltered and perfectly hidden. When her world shifted to Dauntless, she found black suited her much more than grey ever could. Unlike her former faction, there were shaded tunnels and dark smears of ink seared onto skin, a screaming illustration of self-expression.

It was amazing how much had changed in, what was it? One, two years? Now, darkness was cruel to her. Her memories of this place were flooded with darkness. The kind of darkness that brought pain, the kind of darkness that reeked of despair and the kind of darkness that made your stomach clench with loneliness. There wasn't much exposure to natural light here. The little amount of light that would stream in through the windows was obscured by thick, metal bars or tattered curtains. There were particular rooms in the building where one could find a gap in where the slabs of wood collided. There, little rivulets of light would penetrate the darkness and illuminate the swirls of dusk in the air. Though simple and unnoticed by the naked eye, Tris cherished these brief encounters with light. Not the artificial lights of fluorescents, sacred to Eurdite and housed in the Hollows, but rather the rays that warmed your face.

"Can you sing?" A small, clammy hand found Tris' in the darkness. Tris pressed her cheek into the frail mattress and drew lazy circles on the little girl's back facing hers.

"Only if you promise to go to sleep, Nadia."

"I promise." Her frail voice whispered. Tris leaned over the girls young frame and was, once again, shocked at her youthful features. Her long fingers pushed Nadia's thick black hair from her forehead soothingly as a shatter of glass echoed from the other room.

"You are my waking dream, you're all that's real to me. You are the magic in the world I see," Tris cooed softly, her voice an outlier in the otherwise silent room,

"You are the prayer I sing, you brought me to my knees, you are the faith that made me believe." She noticed Nadia's breathing slow, her mouth slightly agape. "Dreams on fire, higher and higher, passions burning right on the pyre. Once for, forever yours in me all your heart." Her voice slowed to the rise and fall of the girl's chest before ceasing altogether. With her features softened by sleep, Nadia was the picture of innocence. It was clear to everyone, the she didn't belong in this house, but life wasn't always kind.

A flood of light spread across the room as the door was gently pushed open. Knowing the feeling too many times, Tris's body tensed, but was immediately relieved when she recognizes Maria's silhouette. "Maria," She whispered into the darkness, "She's safe."

The older women collapsed to her knees in front of the bed and took Nadia gently into her arms; silent sobs wracking her body. "I came as soon as they'd let me, Ethan and Marcus needed their rooms cleaned and the kitchen-"

"Shhh." Tris hushed her. "I know you did everything you could, you don't have to explain yourself to me." She assured her, grasping her hand tightly in her own. "But you must know, I cannot protect her for much longer." She gazed at Nadia's now lengthy figure. She had grown so much in the short time she had known her. It felt like just weeks ago that Tris, brought to work in the Hollows, had first seen little Nadia peeking out behind her mother's legs, nervously watching as Maria switched out Tris' IV's. She must have grown four inches within the last year. "She's growing into a women, and the men here have been noticing. You and I both know this is no safe place for a woman." Tris stated darkly, rubbing her bare arms to keep warm.

Maria nodded dejectedly, stroking her daughter's forehead. "You think that's the cause of this? Not just their drinking habits? They will try to snag anything with a pulse when they drink like dogs."

"I do. They're worse when they are drunk, but they've been trying watching Nadia constantly over the past few weeks. Have you not noticed? You can't blame that on alcohol, and you can't hide your daughter behind her age when she's grown as tall as I." Maria was silent, tears flowing slowly over her cheeks. It was hard not to take note of the gazes that strayed just a little too long over Nadia when she would help her mother clean the house.

"But she helps in the kitchens, she makes a difference. I wouldn't be able to do half of what I do now without her help." Maria argued feebly.

"As soon as they feel she can bring in a profit, they will move her to the showcase room, or worse the Hollows. I can do what I can to keep her safe in the Showcase for a few days, but I have no power over the Hollows."

"She's only twelve, Bea! Surely she had a few more years. You don't possibly think-"

"You must remember the men that live in this walls have no morals, Maria." Tris insisted. "You clean and you hear their conversations but I experience what they are capable of firsthand. The men that come through this establishment always ask for younger girls, and those are hard to find. I've done what I can, but I cannot protect her for much longer."

Maria nodded, tears dropping onto the mattress where her daughters head lay. "Bea, you're bleeding!" She exclaimed, grabbing hold of Tris' face. Tris wrinkled her nose at the touch, and felt the dried blood on her hairline.

"It's nothing." Tris assured her. Taking the hand off of her face and holding it in her own. "Marcus is an angry drunk, you know how he gets."

"Marcus?" Maria gasped. "He made a move for my daughter?"

"Yes and no." Tris stated her words very carefully, attempting not to further upset her companion. "He was drunk and angry and wanted something to hit and lay with. Nadia was the closest to him in the kitchen. I got there in time and… _distracted_ him for as long as I could." The light seeping in from beneath the doorframe accentuated Maria's features and exposed her terrified face. She gave the mother's hand a reassuring squeeze, but the sympathy did not leave Maria's eyes.

"What you have done for my daughter," She choked out. "I can never repay. But you must know how eternally grateful I am for your sacrifices."

"I will always protect you both." Tris vowed. "You mustn't forget you have done me many favors over the years as well, Maria." Tris stood up and allowed Maria to take her place on the bed beside Nadia. "I must go. It's getting close to the hour." She stroked Nadia's sleeping face, and gave Maria's hand one last squeeze before facing the door. "But please, remember what I said."

"Bea!" Maria whispered, her sharp voice piercing the darkness. "There's something else you should know." Maria paused briefly, and Tris didn't need light to guess that she had begun to chew on her lip, a nervous habit. "Stephan is back. I overheard Ethan talking about his arrival an hour ago. He wishes you to be in his room tonight." Tris froze at Maria's words. No matter how much she tried to squelch it, fear began to creep up her spine. She swallowed dryly and placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Thank you for warning me."

* * *

I really liked the Tris POV and am debating starting off the majority of my chapters with one. What do you guys think? Please leave a review or PM your feedback, I would love to hear it!

Question of the chapter: There is a connection between a character named in this chapter and a character that made a brief cameo in my second chapter- any guesses?

Lizzy


	9. Chapter 9

Hello, my lovely readers!

Thank you for all of your reviews, you melt my heart! I know this updates short, but it's been a busy week! Hope all of you had a warm and happy Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

* * *

TRIS

Every muscle in her body was coiled like a spring at the sound of his name. With each step she took, she could feel every fiber of muscle screaming in protest. Her breaths came in short rasps, her mouth dry as a bone. She hated the effect he had over her, hated the way he owned her, hated how afraid she was. Tris knew he would come back for her, he always did. She just didn't expect it to be so soon.

As she stumbled over the grim and broken glass in the hallway, shouts and slurs rebounded off of each room, she couldn't help but long for the cleanliness and orderly fashion of Abnegation. Her feet led her cluttered mind down the steps she had learned to dread over the years. Two flights of stairs, the third plank of the second set squeaked, and the fourth's deep grove could twist your ankle if you weren't careful. At the bottom she was met with a thick wooden door, littered with locks and chains. She nodded at Felix, the guard on duty, who welcomed her back with a snarky grin and malicious eyes. Once inside, she was met with a piercing scream that sent her spinning backwards. Felix caught her under the arms, pressing his grimy check to her neck. "Got some fresh meat today," he slurred into her skin, each syllable making her stomach churn, "make sure to show her the ropes, Bea, you're one of the only ones in this hellhole who knows what they're doing." His hands roamed to her waist, leaving a burning sensation seared onto her skin as they traveled upwards. "And I'm talking from experience." He slurred.

 _Elbow to the jugular, extend, knuckles to nose._ Four's words echoed throughout Tris' head.

"Son of a bitch!" Felix roared, hurling Tris away from him, sending her shoulders and head into the adjacent wall. Stars flashed behind her eyelids and she once again felt her knees buckle beneath her. Felix's arms wound themselves around Tris' thin forearms, holding her roughly against the wall. "Don't you think, even for a _second,_ " he spat each syllable at Tris' face, "that just because you're Stephan's little pet, you have any certain privileges around here." Even though it was clear Felix had the upper hand, Tris couldn't help the grim satisfaction at the blood dripping down his nostrils and pooling at the dips of his dimples. Her satisfaction was short-lived as she heard the all too familiar slice of a knife leaving its holder. "Now I'm not stupid enough to bruise that pretty little face of yours when Stephan is walking through these walls," the cold blade traced Tris' jawline, pinching her skin with sharp lacing circles until they reached the top of her forehead. "unlike our boy Marcus, it looks like." He laughed dryly as his knife made contact with the gash on her forehead, making Tris wince.

She knew, from her days in Dauntless, that though Felix may be large, his stance left him unprotected between the legs. On swift kick and Tris would be free of his stark breath and roaming hands. However, living I this place, Tris had learned the hard way that fighting didn't get you anywhere when escape was impossible. She thought of Four and how disappointed he would be, how he would tell her to fight, to free herself. But freedom and survival were two different things. Completing the fear landscape was easy when reality was waiting on the other side. But this house, was a constant fear landscape, one she couldn't escape.

"Whatever kind of protection you think he gives you, is gone the second he goes on one of his little fieldtrips." He growled at her, each syllable making Tris wince at the truth lying just behind his words. "So don't think I'll forget about _this,"_ He ran a free hand underneath his nose, catching the blood that hell, "when that time comes around again." He flicked his hand, sending the collected blood spattering across the floor. He gave Tris one last glare before stalking his way back outside the door.

"I'll see you soon, Bea." He sealed his promise with the slam of the door, and the click of a lock.

* * *

"So…uh… as you can see…from the photos…" Zeke trailed off, fidgeting with the badge above his heart. He really wasn't one for presentations, especially in front of his own Sargent. But with a case this big, it was kind of required. Lucky for him, his partner, Amar, was more than competent with this sort of procedure.

"What my partner is trying to say is that the computer we recovered from the vehicle held information we deem necessary to further investigate. We ran the photos through our missing person's database and the only facial recognitions we saw were that of Claire Harper and Alice Tram. This means that the situation that's found itself inside the fence, did not start here. We suspect it's involved women from the Fringe, as well as other cities." Amar spoke with such confidence and composure, Zeke felt himself shrink in comparison.

The Sargent nodded, scribbling down notes on a pad. "Plan of action?" The question was more of a lazy statement.

"Further investigate the computer. Use our tech team to pin the towers used to connect the device to wifi and data networks. From there we can create a parameter of action. Next, send troops to investigate. We go from there."

Sargent Richard Palmer nodded solemnly, taking a long sip of his cup of coffee. When the mug was returned, a patch of tan foam had taken residence on the thick gray beard. "Inform the tech team. I want the laptop on their station tomorrow morning." He closed his notebook and stuffed it into his bag. The snap of the clip echoed throughout the board room. "I want updates every 12 hours."

"Yes, sir." Nodded Amar, hands clasped behind his back in respect.

"Uh, yes, sir!" Yipped Zeke; earning a dubious glance from Palmer. As the room cleared he and Amar fumbled to organize papers scattered across the room. "By tomorrow?" Hissed Zeke, sweat already collected beneath his brow.

"I know. We leave for the Erudite sector tonight." He responded under his breath, slapping the underside of the papers onto the wooden table. "Before the tech junkies ruin whatever lead we thought we had."

He powered down the PowerPoint, and the screen went black.

* * *

Amar arrived at Zeke's apartment at the top of the hour, just like he had promised. Zeke and Shauna were a charismatic couple, and knew almost all of the occupants on their floor. It wasn't uncommon for music to be heard through an open door, or Shauna inviting passerby's to test her cooking. When Amar approached a lock door, he knew Zeke might have been taking their plans a little too seriously.

He paused outside their door, and rasped his knuckles onto the frame.

"Did you not even read the text?!" Zeke hissed from the other side.

Amar's slim fingers retrieved his phone out of his pocket, and he flipped through his recent texts.

 _Arrive at 18:00 hour. Knock with the pattern 2, 3, 1._

"You've got to be kidding me." Amar groaned.

"Just do it!"

He complied stiffly, and was met with the churn of two locks returning into the door. The wooden frame was opened a few inches and revealed Zeke's face. "Did anyone follow you here?" He whispered.

"For the love of God, Zeke!" Amar pushed the door open himself, sending his friend to peddle backwards onto his ass. "When I said we were going rogue with this shit I didn't mean it quite so literally."

"Is this a secret mission or not?" Zeke exclaimed, looking ridiculous sprawled out on the ground.

"We're not breaking any rules here." Growled Amar. "We're just leaving some details out. Nothing wrong with that."

"Whatever." Conceded Zeke, hoisting himself off of the floor and dusting off his hands. "We're burning up time here. We need to get moving."

"Got the lap top?" Amar asked. Zeke responded with patting the bag clasped between his hands.

Two knocks on the front door interrupted their argument and made Zeke sputter. "That wasn't the code I sent you!" he hissed.

"Oh calm down." Amar retorted, clasping the metal handle and opening the door, revealing Four's figure.

"Four! Hey, Four!" Zeke exclaimed, his voice on octave higher than usual. "How are you, Four?"

Four looked like he had swallowed something sour. "I'm doing fine, Zeke. Are you okay?"

"Fine." Zeke yipped. "Never better!"

"Good. Are we still on for drinks?" He asked, dubious.

"Drinks?" Amar inquired. "Was that tonight?"

"Yeah. It is Thursday, right?" Four quirked an eyebrow; obviously suspicious of his friends actions.

"Oh shit, it is Thursday, isn't it?" Amar asked.

"Yes." Four growled, growing impatient. "It is."

"Sorry, man." Amar reasoned. "Sargent's been kicking our ass this week. He assigned up an assignment tonight that we couldn't miss. I meant to call you."

"No problem, man." Four brushed it off easily. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Nope!" Zeke answered, already pushing Four out of the door. "We're good, see you tomorrow!"

"Seriously?" Four hissed as his back hit the wall outside. "What the hell are you guys up to?"

"Nothing that concerns you or remotely involves you!" Zeke responded, sprinting for the elevator.

"Drinks on me next time, Four!" Amar promised as the elevator doors closed, leaving an outraged Four behind.

* * *

The train to the Erudite sector was short and bittersweet. The duration only lasted thirty minutes, but the view had a time lapse of many years. It crossed over the wall, where the structures had been holding steady for decades. Later, the Abnegation sector; where the houses, once destroyed, were now rebuilt. Though the rubble and gun shot shells had been swept up, black stains from the bullets and bombs were still visible on the side of the walls still standing. One of the bridges they crossed hides a tunnel that went straight to Factionless. Marks and stains from every notable event were still left on the city. You just had to know where to look.

"You're still looking at that?" Zeke questioned Amar. The photo on display showed the young women with the tattoos on her collarbone.

"You're telling me it didn't keep you up at night either?" He responded. Amar couldn't reason with him, for it did account for the dark circles underneath his eyes.

"I just wan to know, you know? Who she actually is."

"Yeah, I get that." Amar nodded. "We'll find out tonight." He assured himself, tapping his pen on the side of he computer in confirmation. "Once we get to her place, we'll know."

"Is she expecting us?" Zeke asked, perplexed.

"Nah," Amar laughed deeply, chest vibrating, "Cara has absolutely no idea we're coming."

* * *

Thank you all so much for reading! I love you guys, and smile every time I read your gracious and kind reviews. I apologize for the short update, but it's all I could get out this week. /:

I've been noticing less and less response from you all when I post chapters, have I written something thats put you off? Please let me know, the last thing I want to do is disappoint you all!

Question of the Chapter: Who do you guys think it the 'fresh meat' Felix referred to in the beginning of the chapter? And how are you all liking the Tris POV?

Where is home for all of you? For me, it's Washington.

Sneak Peak- A little fourtris in the next chapter!

Lizzy


	10. Chapter 10

:)Hello, my lovely readers!

I'm so happy you've stopped by! Hope you enjoy this chapter, I've worked extra hard to make it longer and with a but more plot in it due to some of your reviews stating the length of the chapters could be improved. I really appreciate all the comment you guys leave me, I take them all in for consideration, I promise you!

Enjoy!

Net update- 2 weeks! Get excited, you will finally meet Stephen and Tris' imprisonment will be revealed!

* * *

"How Incredibly Sexist of You."

Stars clouded Tris' vision as the hallways thundered with the slam of the door. The wall behind her was cold and dry, but her skin felt clammy and hot. She let her shaky knees give out and sank to the floor; the rough wall behind her sinking it's teeth into her shirt as she went. She sat there for a while, letting the black spots in her vision diminish until there were none left. It was oddly quite in the hall, with only the swinging of the overhead lamp to keep her company. It's chain was made from metal as old as Tris, blotchy and stained. She stared into the light until it blurred her vision, feeling her heart rate slow to a soft hum. The light flickered periodically before burning with life. She watched it swing and creak, entranced, until another piercing scream shattered what little ease she had found into a million pieces. Like hearing a gunshot in the night, she was on her feet in seconds, already willing her protesting body down the hall into The Commons.

"What the hell is going on?" She panted, rubbing her sore arms. Several doors thudded to a close as almost all of the girls shut themselves in the various rooms that connected themselves to The Commons, afraid that the girl's wails would only bring trouble from the men upstairs.

The first thought that shaped itself into Tris' mind was how the girl's clothes. She was wearing actual pajamas, like the kind you would buy in the city or some industrialized area. Though torn and stained in some places, you could tell the material was made with the finest care, nothing like the skimpy, poorly sewn tatters Tris wore here. The girl was curled up on her side, arms crossed over her head in a defensive position.

"She won't let me do her make up." Growled Yaz, one of the only remaining girls left in the room.

"Don't force her, can't you see she's scared?" Tris hissed, watching the girl's chest fall and rise in hysterics.

Yaz's thick lip curled into a cynical smile. "Whatever. She'll get her rude awakening soon enough. Dumb girl will realize she had a lot more to be scared of than a stupid piece of make-up." She swung her hand and Tris saw the black pencil fly across the room. She crossed the room, her caramel colored legs bouncing as she plopped herself down on the couch, arms crossed in annoyance. "I don't know why you still baby them, Bea." She snarled, her ever-present temper making an appearance. "It's not like you can change what's coming." Her red fingertips slid across the table and picked up a magazine, becoming completely oblivious to the tear streaked girl on the floor by her feet.

Tris took a tentative step forward and crouched down beside the girl. Her thin fingers slipped underneath her thin arms in an attempt to pry them away from her face. Another shrill cry escaped her lips, making Tris' ears sting. "Hey," She whispered softly to the girl. "Hey, you're okay!" She yipped as the crying girl shot away from Tris like a bow from an arrow.

"Jesus! Shut that bitch up!" Yaz exclaimed, covering her ears, the magazine falling to the floor.

Her mouth opened to yell again and Tris palm clamped itself over her lips, muffling the noise. "If you want me to help you, you're going to have to start by being quiet!" Tris quipped, her voce stern and powerful. The room was bathed in silence as the girl's eyes widened to the size of plates. Tris removed her hand from her mouth, and seated herself in front of the girl. The room was still, listening for the sounds of heavy footsteps above them. "We," Tris whispered softly, pointing to herself and the various heads poking themselves out of the doors. "Are your allies, not your enemies." She was pleased to see the girl's shoulder's relax. The sobs that racked through the girls body ceased into sniffles. "If you want us to help you, you're going to have to start by telling me your name."

The girl looked cautiously from face to face before her eyes realigned themselves to Tris's once again.

"Claire." She stated, her voice small. "My name is Claire."

* * *

Once the faction system had fallen, it was shattered for good. Like a dropped vase, you could never make it look the same. The shattered pieces would be chipped and useless, never to hold a flower again. But, like the shattered pieces, evidence of their existence could still be seen where the shards had fallen. Though those left in the city wore clothing smeared will the pigments of many factions, you could still pinpoint their chosen home by the mannerisms in which they operated, the company they enjoyed and the lifestyle, still tarnished will past factional traditions, they believed in. Zeke can't help but notice this as he fingers the clean edge of the stack of glasses, perfectly placed in synchronization, laid out with car as they dried on a dishtowel. It always had made him uneasy, the manner in which Erudites operated. They were always so organized, so precise; never leaving even a spoon in the sink, or a bed left unmade. Cara could wear orange and black all she wanted, Zeke thought, but anyone with half a brain would notice that she favored blue.

He could hear her murmurs growing louder with each word from the adjoining living room. Amar's soft voice was in contrast with Cara's as he tried to swathe her harsh fiery tone with his cool and calm responses. She was a firecracker that much was for sure. You ignite a little heat under her fuse and she's sparking.

"By tomorrow?" She seethes, teeth clenched so tightly there was a lisp to her words. "Tomorrow?!" Her voice raised an octave, and Zeke was pleasantly entertained to see the glass he had been so intrigued with rattle at the sound of her booming voice.

"We understand this is a lot to drop on you, here." Amar responded, hands raised like he was trying to talk her off the ledge. "But we wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important." He countered.

As soon as Cara opened the door, Zeke made the decision to let Amar take the hit on this one. Zeke was good with women, but his skills were more aligned with getting a little action, not trying to understand them. Hell no, this one was all Amar. Zeke convinced himself he would feel more at ease raiding her kitchen. In between fistfuls of Chex Mix, the dining room table caught his eye. He whipped his mouth with the back of his hand and brushed the crumbs off his nice shirt. The table was set for two and a candle was flickering.

Footsteps stomped their way angrily through the kitchen and an unsuspecting Zeke was a deer in the headlights, his hand poised above his mouth, crumbs of Chex Mix falling onto his tongue. Cara paused to look him over, then scoffed in annoyance, shoving her hip into his as she walked past.

"Just give me a moment to cancel my plans for tonight." She snarled, tugging on the tablecloth and sending the plates and candle tumbling to the floor. "Make yourself at home." Her hips swayed angrily as she made her way towards the bedrooms. It was only then that Zeke and Amar noticed the fancy blouse she was wearing, and the sheer coat of lip gloss coating her lips.

"A date?" Zeke gasped through Chex Mix cascading down his shirt. Amar just looked at him and shook his head.

"Get the lap top and put it on the table." Amar ordered, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "I want to make this as fast and painless as possible."

Cara was one hell of a women, Zeke had to admit. She possessed a glare that turned his insides to ice, and the ability to change in less than two minutes. Her hair was up in a messy bun. Little strands of blonde hair fell over her eyes as she typed furiously into the computer; so fast, Zeke swore her fingers blurred across the keyboard.

"How many firewalls did Four say he had to get through?" She asked the boys, blowing a piece of hair from her face.

"Six." Amar replied. "Codes are listed here." He handed over the piece of paper he and Four has scribbled on to Cara. Her eyes raked over the script, widening at the end of the paper.

"Their names?" She gasped, holding the paper up to her face and scrutinizing every letter.

"Yes." Amar answered, peering over Cara's shoulder. "We believe they are important to the trade that's been going on. We've reached out to our neighbors in surrounding areas who've managed to keep records and found information about Rosalie O'hara and Sophia Sirquez are from inside our walls. Selena Rekevics and Isabella Rolend were traced back to the Fringe, and Ashley Hudson was reported missing from the city of Mikwakee. We haven't heard anything about Abe, but we're guessing he hold a powerful position within the whole operation. Possibly the leader." He traced his fingers on the paper as he spoke, pointing to the names.

Cara nodded and turned her attention back to the computer, scrolling through the images with her hand clasped around the pendent of the necklace she wore, straining it against the chain. "It's good that you came here." She admitted, worry evident in her eyes. Zeke opened his mouth to exclaim something along the lines of "I told you so!" but Amar's palm slapped itself over his lips, silencing him.

"You think the last name is Abe?" She scoffed, eyebrow furrowed in disbelief. "How incredibly sexist of you."

"You got some words of wisdom you'd like to share, Buttercup?" Zeke countered, crossing his arms over his chest and cocking his head at his friend.

"Yes as a matter of fact I do." She countered. "The name you're looking for is Bea, not Abe; and that's probably why you're not having any luck finding her in the system. "

"So you got ditched?" Christina's lean figure, perfectly relaxed against Tobias' living room wall, asked.

"I did not get _ditched._ " Four growled, taking another swig of his beer before swinging his arm forward, a kitchen knife lodging itself into the nearly demolished dartboard. "They're working on a case!"

Christina's pupils shifted to the corner of her eyes, surveying the knife still shaking from impact. She shrugged casually, stalking her way slowly back to the table where the knives were laid out. "Still sounds like you got ditched to me."

Four's jaw flexed in annoyance as he appraised his friend. "Still sounds like you haven't heart a word I'm saying." He mimics. Christina's eye brow arched and a small smile pealed at the corners of her mouth. She huffed at Four Before passing him to pull out another two beers from the fridge. The clinked together in her hands as she held them by the neck. Four gladly accepted his, popping the lid off with a twist of his roughly calloused hand. He let the sharp taste linger on his tongue before swallowing. "Why is it," He asked, both hands on the table, leaning over it and turning the bottle in lazy circles on the wooden counter top, "That we always end up drinking when we're together?" A huff of laughter escaped his lips, and he brought the bottle to his lips once more, meeting Christina's sparkling eyes over the rim.

"Because we're shallow and lonely?" She shrugged, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

"I'll drink to that." Four declared a little louder than necessary, raising his the brown bottle once more. Christina giggled in between sips, resting her elbows on the table so she was eye to eye with Tobias.

"So…hypnotically speaking, here, if you're friends _didn't_ ditch you-"

"Christina-"

"Let me finish!" She snapped, her eyes blazing with irritation, but the laugh lines around her eyes were smiling and Four knew she was trying not to giggle. "Suppose they weren't," She paused, quirking an eyebrow at Four, challenging him to interrupt her, her eyes glittering. "What the hell is so important about this _new case_ ," She dropped her voice down to a low, spooky tone and smothered a giggle with the back of her hand, "because I specifically remember them procrastinating on a past case they've had to get drunk on multiple occasions."

Christina continued to laugh until she noticed the shadow that pasted over Tobias' face. "Oh shit." She gasped, her palm falling away from her face in shock. "It's actually that serious?" Four just nodded, rubbing a hand over his face, stress lines appearing on his forehead.

"Yeah." He spoke into the palm of his hand, eyes focusing once again on the bottle in front of him. "Yeah, it's pretty serious."

"Well, _how_ serious, Four?!" Christina demanded, her hands clenching impatiently at her sides.

A whine that sounded much too like Six's escaped Four's lips. "I guess you could say…very serious?" He said, and cringed internally, knowing is vague response was a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode, when dealing with someone like Christina. He half expected the windows to fog up with the amount of steam leaving her ears.

"Are you kidding me, Four?!"

"It's highly confidential!" Four hissed, his fingers clenching around the neck of the bottle, the whites of his knuckles beginning to show. Christina's eyes widened and her lips parted in an 'O.'

"It's that girl, Claire, isn't it?" She asked eagerly, ducking her head to meet Four's down casted eyes. "They found her?" Four scoffed, tipping the lip of his beer towards his mouth and swallowing the last of the liquid.

"No." He stated darkly, eyes scowling at the ring smeared across the table from his beer.

"Oh," Christina replied, a somber expression replacing the hard demeanor she had on just seconds ago, "so it must be worse then." She guessed, sliding a chair back from the table and perching herself on the armrest. "If it's not a happy reason to be missing drinks, that must mean the situation has gotten worse. Right?"

Four scoffed and rolled his shoulders. "Afraid so."

"Is she dead?" Christina pressed.

"Not sure." Four replied curtly, lips pressed together in agitation. "That could be where they're at now. I asked not to be informed." His jaw clenched, and he knew Christina would question him. She knew him far too well.

"Then why does it bug you?" She asked, seating herself across from Four and gently sliding the beer bottles that obscured her view of him away. "You asked not to be involved, but your decision bothers you. Why?"

Four had known Christina for a long time now. Long enough that he knew better than to tell her some shit excuse that she would call him on in an instant. "the case they're working on," he started, fingering the wooden table with his hands, unable to fully meet Christina's pressing gaze, "it involves missing women." Christina kept her composure and nodded for him to continue. "Many more than we knew of." He explained. "They've investigated the case enough to discover that there's been an operation going on underneath out noses. Women have been taken from the Fringe for years now, and Johanna and I have done what we can for the families, but there's little we can do. We don't have the resources to protect them, and we assumed the women simply ran away, that they hadn't been taken by force." He paused and gouged his friend's reaction. Her face was tight, stress lines beginning to peak out from between her eyes as her eyebrows furrowed together. "But with the city open, we've been noticed women moving around, too. And we now know that Claire, and a handful of other women, were taken by force."

"Jesus." Christina breathed, exhaling her breath and sinking deeper into her chair. "I can see why you're upset, that's a really shitty situation to be in."

Four ran a hand across his face, massaging his temples harshly before resting his chin in his hand. "It's not just that." He explained further. "I didn't ask to be involved in this mess, but Amar convinced me. They needed help accessing a laptop and their measly band of idiots down at the Tech Dept. were useless as always." He paused to look out the window, and saw a hundred little balls of light appear with the setting sun. Christina waited patiently for him to continue, not prying for once which Tobias greatly appreciated. "They way he convinced me though, that's what bugs me. He was angry when I wouldn't comply and he," He paused to swallow, his throat already drying up at the thought of the words that were trying to claw their way out of his mouth, "he said he was disappointed. He said that after losing Tris the way I lost her, I should have related to the case the most, should have jumped at the chance to help those women, and I didn't." His words were rushed and once out of his mouth, he reached for his beer and cursed when he saw that it's contents was already drained.

Christina's eyes were warm. She nodded at Four to let him know she had heard him and he waited for her to speak. "That's really shitty." She finally said, earned a crack of a smile from Four at her bluntness. "But you did help them." She added, clasping both hands together and twirling her thumbs. "What you went through with Tris…" She started. Four averted his eyes to the wooden table, tracing the age lines with his fingers, refusing to meet her eyes. "…no one should have had to go through." He kept his eyes downcast, not wanted to see the sparkle of tears in her eyes he knew would be present. "She was your world, Tobia-"

"She still is." Four interrupted. "She still is my world." He said, softer this time.

"She is." Christina readily agreed. "And she lives in you. She may not be here physically, but I can still see her." Four rubbed his hands over the ruff denim of his jeans, restless with this turn of conversation. He felt Six as she put her head in the pocket of his lap, and rubbed her ears the way she liked. "I can see it in the floor you chose," Christina explained, gesturing to the large view displayed in front of them, "in the companion you call Six," she winked at Four, and Tobias could see the wisps of Six's hair swinging back and fourth over Christina's lap, and knew her wild tail was causing havoc beneath the table, "and in the job you chose. You want to make the city better, make it a place that she would love." Four nodded, smiling at the idea of how Tris would have reacted to seeing Chicago and all it had become over the last few years. "And I would bet money that your visit to the tattoo parlor a year back had something to do with her, too." Four quirked an eyebrow at Christina, impressed by her perceptiveness. She was right, per usual. When Four was getting himself back onto his feet, he had frequented the tattoo parlor. The ink seared onto his skin made a mark over his heart, just like Tris had.

A caramel colored hand reached it's way across the table and grasped Four's forearm. "The loss you had, the loss we all share, is etched into our skin, like scars. No matter how much time has passed, they leave their mark. You shouldn't be ashamed of not wanted to experience that pain again. It's not your obligation to save the city anymore. You've done your part, and Zeke and Amar are more than qualified to bring these women home. You've got to stop blaming yourself." She squeezed his hand, and Four was once again reminded of how grateful he was to have Christina in his life. He smiled at her, and squeezed back.

* * *

Thank you all for reading!

I'd love to hear what you think of the chapter! I've gotten some reviews complaining that my updates are too spaced out for you guys to actually follow the story. I totally understand your frustration! I want to assure you that come January, I should be able to update more as my college apps will be finished! I still have a hectic schedule, as gymnastics is going on this season, but will always dedicate my free time to write!

I'm going to start giving you all a rough estimate of when I'll update again so I don't leave you hanging; I know how much that sucks! For the next chapter, I'm saying two weeks! I also want to advise that if you are still having a problem with the speed in which I update, simply follow the story and you will be e-mailed the second I add another chapter.

Thanks guys!

Question of the Chapter: Stephen will make his debut during the next chapter, I'm curious to what you guys think his character will be like! Any thoughts on his relationship to Tris?


	11. Chapter 11

Hello, my lovely readers!

This chapter may be a disappointment as I did not follow up on some of my promised expectations, but my reasoning is stated at the end of the chapter, and I do hope you read it. It's very important!

Cigarettes, Violence and Boos

It was a quarter to eleven and the clock was begging to be looked at. From all the commotion of the last half-hour, the den was surprisingly back to normal. Clothes were being thrown across the room, makeup brushes were flying across faces and none of the girls were trying to be quite. But the clock's ticks seemed louder than usually; reminding Tris of what was inevitably coming. She looked up to see her reflection being portrayed back to her in the mirror. Her hair was past her shoulders now, and curled at the ends. Dark smudges of eyeliner lined her eyes, making the blue stand a little brighter. She wondered if her former friends would recognize her now, and the thought made her gut clench.

"Where are you from, Claire?" She asked softly, brushing her soft brown hair, trying to manage her mane. The girl seated in front of her looked up in surprise, strands of hair falling across her face.

"The city." She finally said, wringing her hands together anxiously. "What exactly is going on here?" She craned her head around, trying to glimpse at the chaotic scene behind them. Tris quickly wound her fingers over the girl's shoulders to twist them back to face the mirror.

"Nothing that concerns you tonight." She spoke softly into the girl's ear, smoothing the hair around her forehead and offering Claire a small smile. "I used to be from the city." She added, slipping off her jacket from her shoulders and offering it to Claire.

"Really?" She asked, accepting the jacket with a tight smile. "Near here?"

"Well," Tris' eyebrows furrowed as she strained to remember, "I'm not entirely sure where here is." She confessed. "But it used to be called Chicago, and it was beautiful." She stated, images of the lush green fields and the thick, tall buildings filling her mind. "Still is, I bet." Tris felt Claire go stiff and looked up in alarm.

"Did you say Chicago?" She whispered, eyes flashing up into the mirror to meet Tris'. Her hands froze in Claire's hair, the strands slipping through her nimble fingers.

"I did." Tris stated, swiveling the girl's chair around to face her. "Are you familiar with it?" Claire held Tris' eye's, her mouth slightly agape.

"I'm from there." She spoke the words softly, as if telling a secret. "Chicago was my home." Tris searched Claire's face for any indication of lying. She found none. Her hands wove their way into Claire's, and she squeezed them hard.

"It's still there?" She gasped, relief flooding throughout every vein in her body. "The city is still there?"

"Yes," Claire responded, confusion spreading throughout her features as to why it wouldn't be. "The walls are open, but the city is still there." Tris' shoulders sagged with relief, a breath she had been holding for over a year, finally exhaled.

"They did it." She breathed, a real, genuine smile spreading across her face. The feeling felt so foreign, she had to finger the edges of her lips to assure herself it was real. She gripped Claire's hands, tightly in her own as words bubbled to the surface. "Tobias." She chocked out, tears starting to cloud her vision. "Tobias Eaton. Does he still live in the city?" Tris' ribs seemed to close in around her body as she held her breath, waiting for Claire's response.

"Mr. Eaton?" She spoke slowly, as if trying on the words for size. "Yes, I think I've heard of him. He works with Johanna Reyes?" Claire's eyebrows raised in question before continuing. "They came to my school once, they talked about improvements they were making to this city, I think?" Her words, as vague as they sounded, were everything to Tris. She clasped her hands around her mouth and felt her knees shake. "The others-" She gasped, but felt her confidence deflate like a balloon. Tris was being unforgivably selfish in this moment. I t wasn't right to pry when Claire's life in the city had come to a horrific end. Tris gave her hand a light squeeze before standing, wiping her hands on her torn jeans.

"10 minutes!" Yaz yipped form the other side of the room, and Tris had to dodge a flying make up brush as the remaining girls rushed to get dressed. She held out her hand and watched as Claire shakily accepted it. "Let's get you something to wear. You can stay in my room tonight." She felt the girl's posture relax.

"Stay?" Tris could feel Yaz's lip curl from across the room. Tris' shoulders tensed, like she was getting ready to throw a punch. The room fell silent as Tris slowly turned around, pulling on Claire's hand gently to shield her. Yaz's eyes shifted uncomfortably around the room. Her hands shook slightly, but she crossed them across her chest. "You heard Felix." She spoke to the whole room. "He wants her on the floor tonight." Yaz let the words drift around the room before she continued. "And I'm sorry, but I don't want to go through the repercussions of disobeying a member all for the cost of sheltering a newbie for a day!" There were mummers of hushed agreement coming from the occupants of the room. The woman here lived in close quarters, and only had each other to lean on when the days got rough. They shared the same scars, the same nightmares. But everyone in the room also knew that when it came down to the men that lurked around each corner up stairs-it was everyone for themselves.

"I'll take her place." Tris' response hushed all the murmurs at once, like a lid placed on a sizzling liquid. She felt Claire's hot breath against her shoulder, panting like a spooked dog. "She stays in my room tonight. I'll handle the rest." Tris tone stamped the discussion as final and finished, but the girls moved like they were lost in a haze. There was little sympathy here. Everyone knew the horrors that came with working the floor, and it was unheard of to volunteer yourself to do the job. Tris had done so multiple times, but her decision never failed to flounder the girls. Never one for prying eyes, she quickly guided Claire to the four walls she shared with Yaz and Carmen and shut the door behind her. The room was cramped and poorly lit. Three mattresses with a thin blanket strewn across, as well as bottles of perfume and various items of clothing, were the only objects scattered along the floor. The wet heat that occupied the lower levels of the building seemed to cling at your skin, and Claire itched nervously.

Once the door was closed the room was bathed in darkness. Claire could just make out the ghost of the outline of Tris' nose and wings scattered along her collarbone. "My beds the one in the corner." She whispered. "Make yourself comfortable. And if you hear footsteps, hide in the closet." Tris took three steps to the adjacent wall where she yanked on a handle invisible to Claire. She heard a screech of wood against wood as empty hangers and boxes were revealed. "You hide in there until I come get you, understand?"

Claire felt a cold sense of panic creep up along her spine, and she picked at her nails nervously. "I understand." She whispered, barely audible. She gasped and Tris took her hand in two of her own.

"I know you're scared." She said gently. If Claire squinted she could make out the whites of her eyes. "But you need to be brave." With a final squeeze, Tris turned and was gone, leaving Claire swimming in darkness.

Tris' return to the common room was met with apologetic glances and nervous fidgeting. "We need to leave." She announced, noticing the clock was already two minutes past the hour. "We don't want to keep them waiting." She stated grimly. Each stair seemed to drag on forever as they made their way up the two flights. Heels clicked and nails bounced across the railings. Tris wound her hair up into a tight knot, and straightened her shirt. She heard a symphony of gasps before two thick arms wrapped around her from behind, lurching her off her feet and crashing into the wall. As she regained her balance, a body twice her size sandwiched her form the other side.

A stench of cigarettes, violence, and boos enveloped her nostrils, as the clammy hands roamed her body. "Stephan," She choked out, still attempting to regain her breath. "Welcome back."

* * *

Thank you so much for reading. I know I promised you more plot- but I must admit I am very frustrated with the lack of response I have gotten and was so unmotivated that this was the best I could get done, and I apologize greatly.

At this point, I'd like to be completely honest with you all by saying I don't know when I'll update next.

This story has gotten almost no response from viewers with the last few chapters,, and I must confess I have been devastated. I put in countless hours figuring out a plot as well as making sure each chapter is perfect, and getting only three reviews on an update I tirelessly worked hard to improve crushed me.

What I'm trying to say is- do you guys even wish to follow this story? As much as I love writing it, I am swamped with other work and feel that if no one else appreciates the time and effort have put into this story- then why continue? I am torn between giving up and pushing further.

I would greatly appreciate a response on whether you enjoy the story and think it's good enough to continue. I'm not asking you to review for the publicity of accumulating reviews for the public to see- frankly I think that means nothing. I am simply begging for your help to make a decision.

Thank you!

Lizzy


	12. Chapter 12

:)

Hello, my lovely readers!

I am back and must say, I was completely moved at the overwhelming amount of you that voiced your kind words on the last chapter. I wrote a little something for you all at the end of the chapter, and I hope you take the time to read it.

I will not abandon this story! (More on that at the end)

* * *

Blood Rush

There are 41 stairs separating Stephan's room from the main floor, and Tris had learned to hate every single one of them. His grip was so tight on her arm that she could feel the length of each individual nail. He half pushed half dragged her to his quarters, muttering profanity all the way up. Once in the room, Stephan used Tris' hair as reins, yanking her into the room and spilling her onto the floor. Tris tensed, turning her cheek into her shoulder, expecting the usual hit. But the hit didn't come. Tris opened her eyes and felt her heart disappear into her stomach.

Stephan's tall frame was pacing the room, wringing his hands through his dark hair roughly. His breath was ragged and loud. There was only one other time when Tris had seen him like this, and it didn't end in her favor. Stephan was an ill-tempered man. When he wasn't yelling, swearing or punching, he was sadistic and snarky; losing himself between Tris' legs and smiling at the bruises that appeared under her pale skin. It was rare to see him shaken up, and even stranger to see him silent. He was never this paranoid. On edge, sure; it was a risky trade. But he was always so sure of himself, so egotistic. It made Tris curl her lip in disgust. She watched him fumble in his pockets before pulling out a flimsy carton of cigarettes. He fumbled with the flip before pulling out a single stick. He lit it, and took a long drag, He placed his hands on the dresser in front of him, and met Tris' eyes through the mirror. "Did you do it?" He asked, in a voice so low, so cold, Tris could practically feel the temperature in the room drop 20 degrees.

She licked her lips slowly, fearing that her next words would be the nails that sealed her coffin. "Do what, exactly, Stephan?" Stephen's eyes were as dark as coal as they crawled up Tris' sunken position on the floor. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth. His stare stirred up many past memories and a rusty taste started to fill her mouth. Stephan scoffed into his hand, casting his eyes to the stained carpet. He chuckled darkly to himself before jerking his right hand out of his blazer. Tris winced as the material was crumpled up between his fists and thrown to the ground, revealing a dark black button down underneath. Tris felt her breathing become labored as Stephan stood before her, radiating anger. Each step he took toward Tris was met with his thin, nimble fingers unbuttoning his front collar.

"You must think I'm really stupid, Bea." He spat, another button releasing from its hold. Each step brought him closer to Tris' place on the floor.

 _Pop!_ Another button, another step. Tris reached back with her hand, but all she felt was the cold wall behind her. "You must think…" Pop! The dark ink etched onto his chest peaked out from in between the lies of fabric. _Pop!_ He was close now, so close she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes from her place on the floor. _Pop!_ He was fingering the cuffs of the shirt now, and rolling them back up his forearm. The room was cold but Tris could already feel a sheen layer of sweat on her forehead. "That I would never find out." He growled. Tris saw a blur of his black arm and suddenly she was lifted off of the ground, the cold wall digging into her skin behind her. "Did you think you could _play_ me like that? Huh?" Tris grimaced and clutched at Stephan's hand that was clasped around her throat. The bridge of his nose was pressed against her own and when she opened her eyes she was greeted with the burning stare of his own. She remembered a saying her mother once told her as a child, that eyes were the windows to the soul and found herself disgusted by how true that statement was. Where Tobias eyes had been a deep dependable blue, Stephan's were dark as night and filled with malice.

"Don't know," She gasped, feet scrambling for a hold on the wall. "what you're talking about-"

" _The hell you do!_ " Stephan snarled, and Tris winced as spit and his stale breath wafted into her face. His lips curled over his teeth and with a flick of his wrist she was thrown to the ground. Her left shoulder brace most of the impact and the scare of the past bullet wound made itself known. She was barely able to catch her breath before a rough hand pawed at her left ankle and spun her around like a toy doll. Tris opened her eyes just in time to see Stephan's thick forearms framed themselves around Tris' face. She gasped as his full weight collapsed it self on her small frame. His hot breath wafted in her face with each word he spoke. "After all I've done for you- you try to pull shit like that?" His fingers wound themselves into her hair and Tris whimpered as he pulled at the roots, exposing her neck. Try to _ruin_ all that I've built here?!" He growled into her ear, the ice in his voice sending involuntary shivers tricking down her spine. His hands snatched both of her small wrists in one of his own and smashed it against the flooring above her head. Tris couldn't stop the sharp scream of pain from escaping her mouth, and blushed from frustration.

Tris was never one to concede in a brawl; being Dauntless had taught her that. She took pride in proving that she could hold her own with men twice her size- Eric, Peter and even Tobias being examples. But the lifestyle here had been cruel to her in countless ways. Malnourishment and constant abuse had made her frail and though she'd never admit it- weak. She was pinned and she knew it.

She could hear Tobias words whispered in her ear, like he was right next to her on the ground.

 _Fight, Tris!_

 _Keep tension in your midsection, it will help you keep your weight behind your punch._

 _You're faster than him, Tris. A sharp jab to the throat will give you the time you need to get the upper hand._

But Tris was tired, tired of fighting against an operation too powerful for her to stand against. Even though it had been over a year since Tobias had touched her, it was peculiar that Stephan's touch brought the memories back to Tris in vivid clarity. While Stephan's paws clawed at her skin, Tobias' were soft and gentle caresses. Stephan's touch- or rather assaults- brought back memories of Tobias' adoration because they were direct opposites, like how the frost of winter can make you crave the heat of summer.

Claire's words were swimming laps around her head, and allowed Tris to forget about her current plight with Stephan. _He's alive_. She glowed at the recollection. _And with Johanna._ There was no better duo than the two of them; she saw so much goodness between them, so much light. Her heart felt like it was beating again- not just the act of pumping blood- but beating with hopefulness, with a purpose. Even with how tires she was, she had a reason to carry on. Stephan's grip wasn't as painful, the room didn't feel as dark. Every cell in her body ached for his touch, for the sound of his voice. Tris once believed that she couldn't live without Tobias, and being held captive from the outside world- from him- proved that. Her heart was pumping blood, her lungs were taking in air, but she wasn't living; merely surviving.

Tobias' touch warmed her skin, and his gaze brought light into her own. She flourished under his presence, and without him, she was lifeless.

Stephan's fingers gripped her jaw, re-directing her attention to him. Stephan was angry, temperamental, and paranoid and always enjoyed leaving his marks on Tris- but situations of this extremity didn't occur very often. The way he was looking at her, like she was something to eat, made her feel sorry for whoever was responsible for the betrayal he spoke so furiously of. Tris knew from past incidences that Stephan's anger inflicted upon her was almost always unjustified. Tris was his own personal punching bag, and she knew the beating wouldn't stop until Stephan was convinced that she was uninvolved.

"Stephan-" She groaned. "I don't know-" She gasped as his weight shifted upwards and his knees were placed on her chest. All the air left in her longs was pushed out in one sharp breath. Tris' ribs screamed in protest at the mass. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the sting of tears prick at the corners of her eyes, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain made public. "Whatever you think I did-" She choked out, head swimming with pain, "Ask yourself if I could have done it when I've been locked in the building for the last year!" She growled, teeth clenched together to keep her from crying out

"Maybe you're right." He murmured. She felt Stephan's grip loosen on her wrists as he considered this, and tried not to smile in her small victory. All at once Stephan shifted his weight forward toward Tris' collarbone, and she couldn't help but scream in pain. His hands found their way around her neck once more, and Tris immediately felt the wetness of the water tank and the thirst for oxygen. She felt the pressure of a single tear falling from her face and the boastful laugh of Stephan's that followed. "But even if you're right, Bea" He whispered, as if to a lover. His thick arms lifted Tris' upper body off of the floor so she was face to face with Stephan. Tris' hair tickled the area of her neck where her and Stephan's hands were battling for dominance. Stephan released one hand, but Tris was amazed at how his sole remaining hand could still wound its way around her throat. Dark blotches hovered over her vision, and she scratched at it and clawed his hand, desperate for a breath. One of his fingers caressed the track of water left over from her fallen tear. "Never forget where I found you." He snarled, and gripped Tris' chin between his thumb and pointer finger. All at once, he released his hold, and Tris collapsed to the floor, clutching her throat and gulping down oxygen.

From her curled up position on the floor, Tris watched as Stephan stood up and brushed off his shirt. Tris watched him appraise her, and felt physically sick at the satisfied smirk smeared over his lips. Strands of blonde fell over Tris' face, and she cherished the small, measly piece of separation it placed between her and Stephan. "Get up." He ordered, buttoning up his collar and placing a swift kick directly to her exposed shins.

Tris rose shakily to her feet. She noticed his gaze drop hungrily toward her chest and felt the heat of blood rushing to her cheeks as she realized her blouse had been torn open during the brawl. She scowled and crossed her arms over her exposed breast. The irony never ceased to amaze her. In a place like this where woman's bodies were placed with price tags and gambling stakes over their heads, she should have gotten used to the idea of being exposed and indecent. But her Abnegation roots still grounded her, even under the miles of dirt that had accumulated over the years, separating them from her.

"Cover yourself." Stephan ordered, throwing his blazer in her direction. Under the layers of malice and anger, Stephan was still a possessive man.

Tris draped the material over her shoulders, her legs shaking underneath her own weight. "Where are we going?" She croaked, her voice still recovering from the havoc Stephan's hands had raked on her throat.

Stephan grinned maliciously, his white teeth glaring at Tris in the dimly lit room. Tris feared she already knew the answer to her question, and her knees began to buckle. "To the Hollows, of course." He sneered. "Didn't I say I was going to remind you of where I found you?"

* * *

Dun Dun Dunnn!

Stephan is such a fun character to develop. I've never written such a dark personality, and I hope I did him justice.

I want to thank you all for following this story, I know I haven't updated consistently, but I promise you I won't abandon this story.

I was frustrated with the lack of response because even when I did try to update every two weeks, I was still met with 2/5 reviews and it was a blow to my confidence as a writer. I write because it's a passion of mine and I love sharing my work, but also because I love getting feedback. Not just on the story- but on what I need to improve and what I need to work on to become a better writer.

I want to make it clear that I did not complain about the poor reviewing because I want to gain publicity on the story, I brought it up because I genuinely care about what you guys think about my plot and my writing skills, and love getting feedback in order to better myself as a writer. Without the response- I can't improve my skillset and felt like I was wasting time on a story no one appreciated but myself.

However, the response I got after voicing my feeling was overwhelming. I had no idea you guy enjoyed the story that much! I was completely blown away. I knew people read it, but I was shocked at how many of you said that it was currently your favorite FanFiction to read and even that you recommend it to your friends. Honestly- I was very touched.

The reason why I haven't been able to update regularly is because I value quality more than I value quantity. If I don't have the time to write a chapter I deem worthy- I won't. You guys are so loyal and supportive; I don't think I would be doing any of you justice by posting a less than stellar piece.

So as of right now, I think it will be fair to update monthly- with longer chapter that will move the plot more quickly than some of the short ones I have tried to whip up to meet my previous two week plan, and I feel like you guys deserve that.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter- I'm excited for the next one, I have some big things planned ;)

Lizzy


	13. Chapter 13

Hello, my lovely readers!

Sorry for the wait- this chapter was very difficult to write as there is a lot of plot development, and I found myself starting over multiple times. L

But I hope you enjoy this version!

Next update should be in roughly one month!

* * *

A Thousand Words

"Are you okay, Zeke?" Cara's right eyebrow arched over the computer screen as she appraised her friend.

"Yeah." Zeke squeaked an octave higher than usual. "I'm fine." He stammered, wiping his clammy hands on his jeans. "Just peachy, Cara."

Cara's hands hovered over the keyboard in speculation. She turned her stare over to Amar's position, perched on the edge of the table. "Is he okay?"

Amar, wringing his hands together replied snarky. "Yeah. Didn't you hear him? He's peachy."

Cara rolled her eyes and sighed heavily through her gritted teeth. "If there's something you need to tell me before I continue, I'd recommend you say it now."

Zeke's eyes flashed to Amar's in alarm. Cara's discovery of the possible code name being 'Bea' had shaken them both up. But inferring that Tris was a part of this scheme was still a large interpretive leap to make. Tris' loss was still an open wound for everyone; one that was healing with time, but was still painful to touch. It would be wrong to open up that wound again without good reason, without clear evidence. Zeke caught Amar's slight shake of the head and nodded at Cara to continue her work.

"Alrighty, then." Cara huffed, obviously not convinced. Amar relaxed like he dodged a bullet, but Zeke couldn't escape the tightness in his ribs, like an elephant was sitting on his chest. Each ding of a key being pressed on the keyboards made his head spin faster and faster and he could feel a cold sweat beginning to glisten on his forehead.

A sharp ding of the doorbell sent Zeke jumping out of his seat, a shrill cry escaping between his lips. Amar was already on his feet, taking a defensive stand between the door and his comrades. "Who the hell is that?" He growled.

"Jesus, do you ever clam down?" Cara yipped from behind Amar. "It's probably just Caleb." A silence stretched between the three as Cara's words sunk in. Even Zeke didn't fail to miss Cara's flushed cheeks. "Well?" She growled. "Since you've already taken over my home the least you could do is answer the damn door."

"On it." Amar stated, his long legs leading him effortlessly to the adjacent room. Cara's fingers passed furiously over the keyboard as she refused to meet Zeke's eyes.

"So…Caleb huh?" Zeke asked, ducking his head to meet Cara's glare. "I can honestly say I did _not_ see that one coming."

"And I don't think I can honestly say I'll ever see the day when you actually shut up and mind your own damn business Pedrad." Cara countered.

"Ouch." Zeke feigned chest pain as he clasped his right hand over his heart and fell back into his seat. "Touché, Cara."

Their tiff was quickly interrupted by the fast approaching footsteps of Caleb and Amar. Zeke couldn't help but giggle behind his hand when he saw Caleb's perplexed face; flowers and a bag of food hugged under his arms. "I thought you said you were sick?"

"In truth I am." Cara stated. Jumping out of her seat to relieve him of the flowers. "Sick of dauntless meatheads interfering with my plans, that is." She added, finishing the statement with a swift kiss on his cheek. "You're sweet to bring the flowers and the soup, Caleb."

Caleb, obviously flustered, took his seat next to Zeke. Cara returned with the flowers in hand, encased in a glass vase. "Where's my kiss, Cara?" Zeke whispered, craning his head as her form passed behind his chair. "Ow!" Zeke yipped as Cara's hand smacked him on the cheek. "It was just a joke." He murmured; massaging his cheek and glaring at Amar's form, shaking with silent laughter.

"Let's just get this over with, okay?" Cara sighed, exasperated. She returned her attention back to the black laptop in front of her. "This website appears un-interactive. However, once a scan is conducted you will notice hyperlinks hidden within the watermarks hidden behind the photos of each woman."

"Hyper what?" Zeke asked, scratching the back of his head.

" _Links._ Hyper _links."_ Cara snapped, losing patience. "Hidden inscriptions that, when found, will transport you to another website. I ran a decrypting code. It should just take a few minutes to make the links appear and therefore accessible."

"I'm sorry-" Caleb spoke up softly. He had been so silent the rest of the occupants of the room had forgotten he was there. "But what exactly are, uh, are Zeke and Amar doing here?" The room was swallowed in silence at once. Even Cara's ferocious fingers were frozen on the board. She upraised the two policemen carefully, and Amar saw a rebellious spark ignite in her light irises.

"These two egotistic boys have a new case," She sneered like it was a dirty sentence. "One that they are completely incompetent with solving by themselves.. How strange." Zeke had to admire her unique skills to zero in on a man's weak spot.

"Case?" Caleb raised an eyebrow,

"Yes." Cara replied eagerly. "One concerning various-"

"Topics that are extremely confidential information, _Cara."_ Amar spit through clenched teeth. "And we will gladly leave you two to your business once she is done graciously helping us." The woman flinched like she had been slapped, but blinked and quickly returned to her work. An awkward tension seeped into the room, and Amar could feel Caleb's cold stare burning into the side of his face. However, he did not have the patience or energy to deal with his antics. Instead, he stared at Cara's shifting face as her eyebrows furrowed in frustration, then altered to a more passive state. Amar heard a brief "Yes!" escape from his partner's lips.

Cara glared at her enthusiastic friend before continuing her search. Her eyes scanned the screen, and the men in the room could see the bright white screen reflected in her pupils. They watched in silence as she scrolled. Her face was tight and expressionless before freezing altogether. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard while her wide eyes stared at the screen. Amar felt his stomach drop, knowing what was coming. He couldn't see the screen, but if he could, he knew he would see the blurry tattoo staring straight back at him. He felt Zeke's foot gently nudge his under the table, silently asking for what their next move should be. But all he could do was stand still and wait. The muted click of the mouse pad sounded like a bomb being dropped. The men all heard the horrified gasp break through Cara's lips, and knew the question that had been burning a hole through the back of their heads had been answered.

Amar and Zeke leaned forward apprehensively. Cara swallowed thickly before locking her eyes with Amar. "I asked you." She whispered, blinking tears out of her eyes. "I _asked you_." She choked out, horrified. "You were supposed to tell me if there was anything I-I should _know."_ Tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. "And you knew didn't you?" She gasped, hands shaking as they covered her face. " _You knew!"_

"We had our suspicions but no concrete evidence, Cara, you have to believe me."

"What the hell is going on?" Caleb growled, standing up from his seat and rounding the corner of the table to where Cara sat. Zeke acted quickly, putting himself between Caleb and the computer. Amar saw Cara's hand duck behind the computer, angling the screen away from her lover.

"Zeke if you would please escort Caleb to the balcony for a few moments?" Amar asked.

"The hell with that!" Caleb exclaimed pushing against Zeke's forearms.

"Go, Caleb." Cara's soft, defeated voice made all the men turn and stare. Caleb appraised his girlfriend briefly as she nodded at him. Zeke pulled his arm gently toward the sliding doors but Caleb wrenched it free, stomping out on the small deck himself.

Amar bowed his head and rubbed a calloused hand over his chin roughly. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus. He could hear the muted argument from the other side of the glass window, and Cara's bated breath in front of him. "Cara…" He breathed, trying to find words. He jumped at the sound of the laptops lid making contact with the computer's base. Cara's nimble fingers were pressed to her forehead, rubbing smooth circles over the skin.

"I can't keep this from him, Amar." She finally murmured

"I know." Amar responded gravely. "And I wasn't asking that of you. But I do need you to walk me through what you saw, Cara."

Cara took a shaky breath before meeting his eyes. "It's the hidden link.-took me to a site, had more pictures of her and-" She shook her head roughly, as if to get the images out of her mind. "There's a number- to call. That's all I saw."

"Alright, that's good," Amar spoke, nodding his head like he would any other client, but inside his stomach was ice. "And your decrypting code exposing the links should hold?"

"Yes." She gasped, her breaths coming in short rasps now, and Amar knew she was close to tears.

"Our tech team should be able to take it from here, Cara, thank you." She ran a shaky hand through her hair and nodded dejectedly at Amar. He grasped her two hands in his and squeezed them gently.

"Did you want to see?" She whispers, like the question could be carried out the window and away with the wind.

"No." Amar responded, shaking his head lightly. "I believe you." Cara's shoulder's sagged as she took a big exhale, the tensions flooding out of her body. Though her body sagged in her seat, exhausted, her hands still grasped Amar's hands like a lifeline.

"What happened to her? She was shot- _twice-_ she, she," Cara stammered, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

"We don't know." Amar growled in disgust. "I was there, I saw her body. Someone must have grabbed her, sedated her?" He shook his head trying to fit together the missing pieces. "No one saw her between the time when they wheeled her out of that room and when she came back in that urn. Shit, they could have grabbed her right then and there."

"Jesus." Cara breathed, dropping her head towards the ground. "I can't believe this. Those photos, Amar-were terrible, they-"

"I know, Cara, trust me I know."

"What are we going to do? We're the hell even is she?"

"With this computer we're hoping to track down the cell towers it frequented the most. Then draw a perimeter and go forward." Amar stated, tracing his fingers across the smooth surface of the table as he spoke. Cara nodded like these next steps satisfied her.

"We need to find her." Though her face was tear streaked and blotchy, a fire was lit in her eyes.

"We will." Amar promised. He held her gaze steady until the scuffle outside became too loud for them to ignore. Caleb's voice was growing louder by the minute.

"I'll talk to him." Cara assured, wiping her hands on the palms of her jeans. "But I'll need the computer. He's a Erudite at heart, Amar, we never make assumptions without clear evidence." Cara continued after seeing Amar's questioning look.

"We'll take the computer into work tomorrow and get this case rolling." Amar ducked his head to meet Cara's wide eyes. "We won't sleep until she's home, Cara." She nodded her head in affirmation. The Erudite gazed out toward the balcony where Zeke and Caleb's shadowy figures seemed to be having a heated argument.

"This will devastate him." She murmured. "I'm not sure how he will cope with this."

"You'll get him through it."

"And Four?" Cara raised her eyebrow. "How is he coping with all this?" Amar felt his stomach plummet with the sudden realization of what Cara's findings meant for his friend. "Oh God." Cara mouth fell into an 'o' shape. "You haven't told him?"

"We wanted to be sure." Amar defended himself. "He's been doing a lot better."

"Oh, God." Cara collapsed her head in her hands. "This is absolutely awful."

"You're telling me." Amar agreed. They held each other's gaze for a few minutes, each anticipating the unfortunate events that were about to unfold. There the sliding glass door slamming into the wall abruptly broke up moment. Caleb's long and lean figure glided him effortlessly toward Cara. She met him halfway and clasped her hands in his.

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes searching his face. Zeke follows looking apologetically at Amar. _I tried to stop him._ He mouths.

"We'll give you two some time alone." Amar nods and makes his way to the balcony.

"How'd it go?" Zeke breathes as soon as the door slams shut. "Did you see?"

"No, I didn't. We'll go over them once we get back." He braced his two large hands on the railing. "I just don't have the stomach for it right now."

"Yeah." Zeke murmured, following suit and gazing over the edge. "Yeah, I get that."

'We'll take the laptop to sergeant tomorrow, start playing offense." Amar promised, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Zeke grunted in agreement, hands twitching at the thought of busting the guys responsible.

"How do you think it's going in there?" Zeke asked, nodding towards Cara's apartment. Amar cocked his head to catch a glimpse and saw Caleb's head in his hands, fists gripping his hair. Cara sat beside him, hands rubbing his back, the laptop strewn open in front of them.

"Not good." He stated. Cara's eyes met Amar's through the glass, and she nodded at him to come in. "That's our cue."

Once inside Zeke gently closed the computer while Caleb's doe like eyes stared blankly at the screen. "It's best to leave him." Cara whispered. She grabbed the boys coats and embraced both of them, holding them tighter than necessary. "Find her." She said sternly, holding both of their gazes. "And let me know if there's anything I can do. And call the next time you drop in, okay?" She glared.

"Will do." Amar complied easily. "Sorry, Cara." Amar paused before retreating out the door. He stepped next to Caleb's solemn figure and awkwardly patted his back. "We're going to bring Tris home, Caleb." He promised, Zeke nodding eagerly at his side. Once he was sure Caleb was going to remain unresponsive, both men started toward the front door.

"Don't tell Four." He said darkly, causing both Amar and Zeke to freeze.

"I'm sorry?" Zeke asked from across the room.

"Those photos of Tris." He started, hands still gripping the roots of his hair. "They're time stamped at over a year ago. For all we know, she could already be dead." He spit. " _Again."_ Cara flinched at his grim words, and Amar felt his blood run cold. "Find proof she's alive," He added, his words stronger now, more sure of himself. "Find proof she's alive and then you tell him. Or else he's just going to lose her all over again."

* * *

Dang that chapter was a tough one to write! I felt it was needed to develop the characters a bit more given this drastic realization, and I hope I didn't write them too out of context.

Question of the chapter: Who do you think is right- Caleb or Cara? Should the boys tell Four now or wait until they have actual evidence she's alive?

Thank you so much for reading!

Lizzy


	14. Chapter 14

:)Hello, my lovely readers!

Thank you so much for continuing reading this story! And THANK YOU FOR 200 REVIEWS! I can honestly say I never expected to get this much support, you guys have blown me away!

I wanted to give a little shout-out to Mosuzmartian, Bamcn24, Eunice339, leek812, Is wiz, enj412 for your many reviews. It is so cool that you guys all reviewed after each chapter that you read, and continued to leave reviews until the last updated chapter. It is so much fun to read all your reactions to each update!

Also- Hope- I thought it was so cute that you addressed your review to my own name, that was so cute and personalized!

And of course, dauntlessfourever for continuing to review. You have been supporting this story since the very beginning and I appreciate your ongoing love for this story!

And SomeOneNew54 for your long and descriptive review, I loved reading it. You put so much thought in it and I'm touched that I have inspired you to possibly write your own fanfic.

Enough with the shout-outs but I adore all of your reviews, you are all so important to me, just thought I would start to bring attention to a few!

Hope you enjoy this update!

Be warned- not edited (sorry)

* * *

The Hollows

AMAR/ZEKE

The train back to the Hancock building was cold, frigid and unlike any other occurrence Amar had with Zeke Pedrad - silent. Amar listened to the click of the train and stared at the linoleum flooring. His eyes lazily traced the chips and dents that scattered the surface, his fatigue seeping into his bones. He noticed the base of the train had countless black scuffs etched into its surface, most likely from the thick boots that used to clad the dauntless. Amar squeezed his eyes shut; an image of his warm bed and George in his head. This day felt like it had lasted a handful of years, and he couldn't wait to be home.

"Have you looked yet?" Zeke asked timidly, shoulders hunched into his chest like he expected Amar to punch him.

"I have not left your side since we left Cara's, Zeke." He growled impatiently. "If I had looked- you would have known."

Zeke blinked as if he just realized this fact himself. "Alright, that's fair." He said, nodding his head and leaning back into the cushion behind his back. Amar sighed heavily and closed his eyes once again. He tried to relax for the last ten minutes of the ride, and focused on the vibrations of the train underneath the soles of his feet. "But are you going to look at it tonight?" Zeke whispered, causing Amar's hands to clench into fists at his sides.

"Dammit, I don't know, Zeke!" He snarled, all hope of relaxing flying out the window like the wind behind the train. Zeke stared at his partner's face, obviously surprised at Amar's outburst. "I don't know." He said, softer this time. The laptop safely secured in a bag on his lap suddenly felt ten times heavier, and it didn't appear Amar could ignore it much longer. "I think I have to." He admitted, gnawing on his bottom lip once the words left his mouth. Once they arrived to work tomorrow, the tech team would have full possession of the laptop. It would make the most sense to look over the data and even make a copy of their own.

"That would make the most sense." Agreed Zeke, stiffly. "But you saw Cara's face," He added softly. Zeke's words seemed to hover in between the two men, niehter of them wanted to accept them as true.

"Yeah," Amar sighed. His shoulders collapsing on themselves and leaving him hunched over, his elbows bracing his bodyweight on his thighs. He rubbed his face with his hands, as if to scrub all the stress and pain out of his mind. "Yeah, I saw Cara's face. I feel like an ass for putting her through the ringer like that." He confessed.

"I know. And Caleb." Zeke added, and Amar groaned as the haunted look on the former Erudite face was brought up. "We can't keep this hidden for much longer." Zeke said, his foot tapped anxiously on the floor. Amar knew he was right, and his stomach twisted with the thought of what was coming. He thought all the pain and grief was finally behind them all, except it looked like it was just beginning again. But Amar had to remind himself that this was Tris they were talking about; the girl that saved them all with endless sacrifices. Alive or not, he knew it was his responsibility to bring the truth home. The train lurched to a stop, and the two men stepped off the train soundlessly. The wind whipped at their thick jackets, and Amar clenched the laptop even closer to his side.

"I'm going to tell Shauna." Zeke stated, his breath visible in the cold night. Amar watched the train lights fade in front of them while he processed his partner's words.

"Alright." He finally said. Zeke's eyes flashed with a brief moment of disbelief, having expected an argument. But Amar had conceded easily, he, himself, looking forward to sharing the events that had unfolded with his own partner. Even Amar has to admit the burden of this was getting too much to bear, and it would be a relief to share the cargo. "Okay." He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets and starting on their three-block journey to the Hancock building. He heard the soft footsteps of Zeke behind him, his sneakers crunching on the cold ground. They walked side by side in silence for the next few minutes, only the brief puffs of their mingling breaths being audible.

When they reached the lobby, Amar and Zeke were greeted with a warm gust of air. The main floor was rightfully deserted at this hour, and the elevator met them almost instantly. Once inside the elevator the men were faced with a decision neither one of them had had the nerve to bring up since Cara's. Zeke leaned his tall frame into one of the four metal walls and rubbed his calloused palms over his face.

"What floor, Amar?" He asked, his voice gruff and strained with fatigue. Amar stared at the 100 buttons embroidering the panel in front of him and they seemed to be glaring back. He mulled over his options before his hand settled over the 64th button. Four's floor. With the simple added pressure of the pad of his thumb, the number lit up, making Amar inwardly cringe at his decision.

"You don't think Caleb had a good p-"

"He deserves to know, Zeke." Amar stopped his friend mid sentence, having no patience to argue. He didn't want to waste anymore time with this, he just wanted it to be over. Zeke bit his lip like he had more to say, but stayed silent. The light _bing!_ Of the elevator sounded more like the death sentence. The doors opened, and Amar was thrown off for a few moments, swearing the ride was longer last time he rode it. The men stared at each other, each waiting for the other to take the lead. "Jesus Christ." Amar hissed, tugging off his gloves and stomping out of the elevator. Zeke followed him with his head down, anxiety making his fingers twitch in his pockets.

"The hell is that?" Amar breathed, his feet sliding to a stop in the middle of the hallway. A strong beat of rap music was shaking the whole floor.

"Is that coming from Four's apartment?" Zeke asked, his eyes bulging out of his head. His eyes flashed to his wrist where he confirmed the time was past 1 AM. "The hell is he doing?" Zeke passed Amar, unbuttoning his jacket and pounding his fist on the door to be heard over the booming music. To the two men's surprise it was not Four who answered the door but Christina.

"Howdy, boys!" She giggled, leaning against the doorframe. A loud crash echoed from inside the apartment followed by a boisterous laugh from Tobias.

"What was that?" Zeke asked, peaking his head around Christina's shoulder to get a better look.

Christina ignored his comment. "You're late."

"We never said we were coming." Amar countered.

"Whatever." Christina stated. "Come in, I was just going to call you anyway."

"For what exactly?" Zeke murmured, sliding into the apartment behind Christina.

"For Four. He's a lot heavier than he looks."

"What are you talk-oh." Zeke said, once he saw his long time friend sprawled out across the dining room, a turned over chair beside him. A surprisingly girlish scream escaped from Four's masculine physique. "I see."

"Yeah. Yeah he really needs to go to bed." Christina breathed, hands on her hips. "So do I, actually." She yawned, grabbing her keys and jacket. She took one last look at the boys before pausing. "Pretty impressive he saved his beer." She shrugged, eyeing the still upright beer clasped in one of Four's fists. "See ya!"

"Wait, you're not even going to help us?" Amar yelled after her.

"Nope!"

Zeke sighed, killing the music and staring at Four's drunken figure on the floor. "You get the feet, I'll get the arms?"

"Fair enough."

TRIS

No matter how many times Tris had seen the Hollows, it still had the same effect on her. It made her skin crawl for days on end, constantly scratching her arms trying to get rid of the feeling. She sighed softly and watched feet passing underneath Stephan's doorframe. Each time someone passed a shadow would sprint across the lazy yellow light spilling out from underneath the door, and she counted them as they crossed. Though her body was screaming for sleep, her mind wouldn't give in. Every time she tried to close her eyes she would see the filthy mix matched curtains separating different beds spread out on the floor of the Hollows, and hear the low moans escaping from each occupant. She rubbed her wrist roughly at the memory of Stephan dragging her down the steps and through the different halls that separated the rows of beds in the Hollows. There were sleazy men lined up outside each strung up curtain, their gazes hungry and dark. The whole place reeked of humidity and sweat.

There was no locks separating the Hollows from the rest of the house, and none were needed. The women trapped in the low levels of the Hollows were not kept there by chains- but rather substances. Each of them were pumped full of drugs making them sluggish and unable to fight or escape. They were like dolls, stationary and vulnerable. And though there was no barrier besides a measly door keeping the upstairs residents from the Hollows, no one dared to enter.

The name Hollows was given to the whole level being hollowed out ground, the dirt still falling to dust along the edges of each dug out wall. However, the girls often associated the name in relation to the girls. Their drug induced gazes were just that - hollow. Their names, personalities, back-stories were stolen, and they were left empty.

The girls here were primarily the ones taken straight from the Fringe; already in bad condition. 'They were the ones who wouldn't be missed' Stephan hissed into her ear, his hot breath puffing out on her neck as his thick arms pushed her through the Hollows. It was a mind game for Stephan and Tris knew it. The Hollows had a personal affect on Tris. It wasn't just a place for the 'poor condition' or 'cheap' girls, it was a punishment, as well. It was the simple word that could silence a room full of women upstairs and the main reason almost none of them ever got out of line. Even the simple repercussion of one night spent in the Hollows over being late or refusing a man was enough to change a person forever.

Being from Dauntless it wasn't in Tris' nature to be suppressed and controlled. Though she was put to work in the top floors, it didn't take long for the punishments in the Hollows to start. There were so many, all varying in length that they blurred together. Eventually, the beatings and nights spent in the Hollows became permanent. Tris shivered every time she remembered the heavy drugs slugging through her system and the claws pawing at her clothes. Consent to the horrors that occurred within these walls in order to survive were one thing, but not being able to fight was a whole other torture in itself. There was no hope, no ability to help others, just hollowness.

Stephan found her there on one of his visits. Thought her frail attempts at fighting off the scum that paid to lay with her was cute. He told her she was _fiery_ , something else entirely. He found her interesting, and claimed her as his own personal subject. It was peculiar to Stephan that she still had a flame burning behind her eyes, a fight within her that the Hollows couldn't even extinguish. Tris liked to think he made it his own personal mission to squelch that flame ever since. He always reminded Tris that he saved her, and as hard as it was for her to admit, he was right. Her body was thin and weak after the gunshots, it was only a matter of time before it succumbed to disease or overdose, as many girls fall victim to in the Hollows.

He got off on her reaction to the Hollows- Tris knew. As soon as the first tear fell after seeing those helpless girls, he swung her tiny body under one of his own arms and walked stiffly to his room, laughing the whole time. He slammed the door, threw her on the bed.

He stirred in his sleep, the arm strewn across her body pulling her closer. How was it that even in his sleep his grip was still painful? Tris winced as his naked body made contact with her own. It was hard to believe she once relished this feeling. It made her feel that much closer to Tobias when he curled his bare body into her own. It formed a bond between their mind and body; it was love. But Stephan's grip was sticky with sweat and left her skin marred. His nimble fingers pinched her skin. Even when he was asleep he still kept her trapped.

AMAR/ZEKE

"Jesus, Christina was right!" Zeke huffed, lifting Four's body over his own bed. Once settled, he sat on the bed himself. "I guess tonight's not the night, huh?" He said, watching Four's head roll limply to one side.

"Guess not." Amar replied, untying Four's shoes and placing them beside the bed. He sighed deeply, crossing his hands over his chest. "This would be the kind the kind of news you'd need to sober to hear." Zeke nodded, his eyes gummy with sleep. He walked stiffly out the room and into the kitchen. He quickly grabbed a tall glass and slowly filled it to the brim with water. Zeke rummaged around in the bathroom down the hall before returning with a bottle of aspirin. He placed them lightly on the table beside Four before slowly returning his gaze to Amar.

"Ack!" Zeke jumped like he'd been shocked. "What the hell, Amar?!" Amar didn't even flinch, his eyes focused on the open laptop in front of him. "Oh my God, you're looking, aren't you? Jesus you're looking!" Zeke raised his arms over his face as if debris was falling.

"I am." Amar stated grimly, the light images flashing on his face, creating a stark contrast in the dimly light room. "One of us had to. Now it's done. Cara's right. It's her, and now we move forward." Zeke stared at him, a loss for words. It took a good partner to know his tells and see his weaknesses, but an even better friend to know when to step in and take the fall. He wasn't strong enough to witness his close friend in that situation. Though he did not admit it, Amar realized this, and made the decision for him.

"We should get going." Zeke stated, never one for touching moments and began to button up his jacket.

"Don't go." Four slurred, eyes still closed.

"We gotta go, buddy." Zeke whispered, patting his leg gently.

"Send Tris up when you go." Four giggled. The statement made Zeke's stomach drop altogether, and he looked up at Amar for help. "She's been gone all day." Four whimpered

Amar slowly closed the lap top and secured it in his bag. He met his partners eyes. Without words, they were in agreement. For the time being, Caleb would be right. He whistled lightly and Six skidded around the corner and leaped up on the bed.

"Six will keep you company, Four." Amar responded gently.

"Ha! She used to be Seven, you know." Four snorted drunkly into his pillow.

"What the hell was that suppose to mean?" Amar asked, dumbfounded.

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the update.

On a personal note- I just committed to study at Chapman University in California for the next four years! I am so excited to continue studying business and of course, continue taking classes on literature and creative writing! ;) If any of you have studied at Chapman or know a relative or friends that have, I would love to get your opinion and feedback on the school! What did you like about it and what do you think I should know? Any pros/cons? Please leave a review or PM me, it would mean a lot!

And- WHO SAW ALLEGIANT? I would love to hear what you thought about it! I really enjoyed it, but I did wish the scenes were a little longer. I wonder what Ascendant will be like as much of the plot in the book was included in the first movie. What do you guys think will happen in the second? Do you guys think they will follow the plot and have Tris sacrifice herself or will they keep her character alive?

Lizzy


	15. Chapter 15

:)

Hello, my lovely readers!

I'm very sorry for the wait- to be honest I've been going through a lot this past month. High School is ending in just a few days and it's been giving me a lot of anxiety. I had a few fallouts with some of my closest friends and have been really down. I had my last gymnastics practice ever today. I can't believe how many things are ending, it is a lot to take in, and I'm trying to manage!

But on the bright side- summer means a lot more freetime, which means more updates! I'm hoping to update every 2-3 weeks now. J I'm again, so sorry for the wait. Life really hits you where it hurts sometimes, but things are looking up! Thank you so much for your continuing support and patience- even when I least deserve it.

Enjoy!

Not edited-jeez i need to edit

Boxed In

TRIS

The sharp click of a lighter made Tris' eye's flash open. The menthol smog that followed made her sure that the man beside her was awake. She heard the tall figure behind her take a sharp inhale and felt Stephan's head hit the pillow in ecstasy. She slowly curled her hand around the disheveled sheets, attempting to pull the covers over her exposed body. The room was still covered in the murky tone of morning, speckles of light coming through the holes in the wall dancing on the dim floor. The third floor was always humid. It was like a constant musty aroma that clung to your skin, leaving a shiny residue behind. The sheets felt uncomfortably hot, but Tris craved the security they brought her, even if she was glistening in sweat beneath them. She wondered how much longer she could escape Stephan's ugly nature by feigning sleep. With each move he made behind her, her chest constricted with stress and she knew she he would sense her discomfort- like a predator sensing the fear of its prey.

Tris saw the shadow of his hands before she felt them. His fingers ghosted across her ribcage, slithering to a stop on her sharp chin, turning her head toward him. Tris opened her eyes to find herself nose to nose with Stephan. He smirked wickedly, taking a long drag so close to her face; her lips could feel the heat coming from the butt of the menthol stick. He exhaled slowly, watching as the smoke wafted in waves over Tris' face. The toxic substance made her nauseated, but she refused to flinch under his malicious gaze. There was a question that was burning inside her all night, and she kept her face composed as she countered to the dangerous subject. Tris smiled sweetly at the man beside her, curling up to his chest, her fingers drawing lazy circles on his chest the way he liked. Stephan may be a monster but he was also a man; and Tris knew what cards to play to get the information she wanted.

"Stephan?" She whispered, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, pressing a soft kiss to the sensitive skin there and watched it shiver.

"What?" He retorted, closing his eyes and bringing the stick back to his lips, his free hand traveling up her leg.

"Last night," Tris faltered, knowing she was entering dangerous territory, "you mentioned someone… _playing_ you." Tris paused to gauge his reaction, noticing the way his chest tightened at her inquiry, the way his hand ceased it's movements on her leg. "What were you talking about?"

Tris winced as Stephan's hands snapped to both sides of her face, bringing them eye to eye. His eyes tightened as they stared into her own. Tris kept her face blank but her heart pounded at his gaze. Stephan's cigarette, still clasped between his fingers, was dangerously close to the nape of her neck. Tris gasped as a sprinkle of it's red hot contents landed on her pale skin. Stephan released his hands, looking satisfied at her reaction. "A van was compromised." He growled, suddenly sitting upright and running a hand through his mangled hair. "Fucking agents got their hands on a laptop." His leg shook up and down, hands running themselves nervously over his thighs as his paranoia took over. "But they won't find anything. No, they won't find anything." He added, as if to assure himself more than Tris.

She ran a hand over his tightened muscles that stretched across his back and quickly buried the warm feeling that was expanding within her chest. _They got a computer!_ "I told Ethan we should have waited before we picked up that package." He hissed, leaping to his feet and pulling on his jeans roughly.

"Claire. Her name is Claire." Tris whispered, wringing her hands together in frustration.

"You think I give a shit, Bea?" Stephan huffed, the cigarette hanging loosely between his lips. Stephan gripped the skin of Tris' thighs and swung her to the bed's edge. Her skin screamed under his touch and she struggled to keep her face soft. "It doesn't matter. You don't matter, Claire doesn't matter and the agents don't matter. We got the package delivered and the agents won't have shit except for a disposable van." He spit. "And if I find out that you had anything to do with this, I swear I won't hesitate to dispose of _you_ , too."

"I didn't, Stephan, you know that." Tris whispered, her teeth gritted in pain.

"Good." He whispered, eyes searching her face one last time. Stephan's pupils glowed with dark maliciousness, immediately setting Tris on edge. He smirked as he took one last drag before putting out the last of the embers on the skin of Tris' thigh.

Tris gasped as the burn seared her skin, tears welling up behind her clenched closed eyes. Stephan laughed darkly as he twisted the butt of the menthol stick further into the flesh of her leg before flicking it across the room.

"Shower and get dressed." He stated coldly. "Tell Maria I want my breakfast by 8."

ZEKE

Shauna's warm touch intermixed with the cool sheets made Zeke want to stay in bed forever. It made him want to hide under the covers and escape the horrible yesterday and surely worse day he would have today. He would happily spend the next few days in the sanctuary of his bedroom, but Tris' imprisonment sat on his chest like twenty bricks, making it nearly impossible to think of anything else. Shauna's long and nimble fingers scratched his head that was strewn across her chest, and he purred at her touch.

"Baby, you have to get up soon if you want to be on time." She murmured softly behind his ear. Zeke sighed heavily before sitting upright and shedding the sheets strewn across his body. He plops both legs onto the hardwood flooring and rubs his hands over his tired face. Zeke feels the bed shift and soon enough Shauna's arms are around his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. "You'll find her. It will work out, it always does." She whispers.

Zeke grabs her hand and gives a soft kiss. "I love you."

"I know." She responds cheekily invoking a chuckle from Zeke. He squeezes her hand one last time before walking into their bathroom and turning on the showerhead.

Zeke lingered under the hot spew of the shower longer than necessary. He let the steaming droplets dribble down his back, savoring the last few minutes of peace before his busy day commenced. Once showered and dressed, he made his way out the door. He stopped for a brief second to lean down and give Shauna a kiss. She was still curled up in bed, a trait that was very unlike her. He rubbed her back in soothing circles, knowing the grief that must be coursing through her body.

"You going to be okay?" He asked, swallowing thickly.

"Yes." She responds with a tightlipped smile. "I just need time to think."

Zeke nods and gives her hand a squeeze. "I don't know when I'll be home," he says, knowing the unpredictability of his job, "but when I am let's try to unwind and watch a movie or something, alright?"

"The sounds nice." She agrees, rubbing her thumb over his wrist, her head half hidden under her mane of hair.

"Okay." Zeke smirks, straightening his jacket. He makes his way out the front door. Immediately after locking the door behind him, he is met with the all too familiar physique of Amar.

"You're late." He growls at Zeke, leaning against to opposite wall.

"Yeah well, what's new?" Zeke snorts. He shoves his keys in his pocket and falls in step with Amar as they make their way to the elevators.

"I dropped off the laptop earlier this morning." Amar chides, using his fist to punch the lobby button. "The tech team is combing through Cara's work, trying to ping off the satellites used to connect to the Internet and narrow down a location."

"And then?"

"We go from there." He responds flatly. Zeke arches an eyebrow at his partner's rancid mood, and Amar meets his eyes with an apologetic shrug of his shoulder. "Sorry," He states without much emotion, "been a rough night." Zeke sighs heavily in agreement. "Shauna okay?"

The lean police officer rubs a hand over his fatigued face. "She will be. Just a lot to take in." Amar leans against the elevator door, and closes his eyes for a brief second, and Zeke notices the purple bruises that pool beneath his eyes. "George okay?"

"He will be." Amar smiles tightly as the doors open. "Have you heard from Four?"

"No." Zeke answers, holding the door open for Amar to pass as the cool morning air nipped at their cheeks. "Called him this morning. No answer. Pretty sure he's still dead to the world."

The next six blocks passed in silence, both officers mulling over the unspoken question in their heads. Zeke's mind was at war with itself, and from the way Amar's brow was furrowed; he knew there was a battlefield of contemplations combatting in his, too. Four was his closest friend, and he knew that he deserved the truth- about Tris, about everything. But there was also a part of him that was present for the pain and grief that her loss caused. He wasn't sure if he had it in him to expose him to that world of hurt. And for what? If Tris was already gone what good would the truth of her imprisonment do?

Amar glanced at his partner as they made their way through the thick double doors of the Police station. "We get through today. Then we see." His confident tone helped ease the powerless feeling that stirred in his stomach. They would see what new evidence comes with the day at hand, and then make their decision.

"And Christina." Zeke murmured. "Don't forget Christina."

"I remembered Christina." Amar growled, his teeth grinding together in agitation. "She's hard to forget when she never shuts up. The same goes for her. Let's get this over with, alright? We've got a briefing to do."

FOUR

Despite the smothering hangover, Tobias managed to get to work on time. His head pounded like a hundred dancers were performing a jazz square in it. The sough of work he had on his schedule this morning didn't dull the headache either. Claire's abduction was putting the whole office through the ringer. Security issues had to be dealt with, meetings were still piling up on his planner. He checked his messages and noticed an outlier among all the business related calls. Zeke. Four grimaced and hit skip. He didn't want to deal with the events of last night, not right now. A plop on his desk made him look up, and he was met with the warm face of Johanna Reyes.

"Coffee…" Four breathed. "You're a godsend."

"You look like you need it." She replied. "Rough night?"

"You could say that." Four smirked, taking a large pull of the caffeinated drink. "You get the file I sent over?"

"Yes. That sounds horrifying, Tobias." She pulled up a chair and dropped her voice. "Dealing with Claire's family is hard enough, but if there's more? I can't imagine what kind of fear it would invoke, I mean people are just resettling-"

"Zeke and Amar are doing everything they can. With the laptop cracked, they've got a huge lead. I'm confident they have it under control." He assured her, trading his coffee for her hand. "In the meantime I've put in a request for nightly patrols as well as more officers surrounding the borders."

"We need to find that poor girl, Tobias." She rubbed her forehead with her right hand, the bracelets clicking together as she did so.

"And we will. I can promise you we're doing everything we can. I have the upmost confidence and Zeke and Amar. Believe me, they know what they're doing."

"Have I told you how grateful I am for you today?"

"I work for you, remember?"

"C'mon." Johanna swatted his shoulder with the files she had been holding. "The board is waiting. We need to present those security plans, lets hope they had a better night than you did, okay?"

ZEKE/AMAR

As soon as they crossed the border from the street to the office they were swarmed with the buzz of dozens of voices. Men were on telephones, computers were typing, temps were running by with handfuls of coffee.

"Jesus, this place knows how to get busy." Zeke breathed.

"Yeah, well lets get busier." Amar replied taking his place at the front of the room. "Alright people. We've got a lot to do today so lets get started." Zeke joined him with a wide stance beside his partner. "All of you have been debriefed on the event that have occurred in the past 24 hours. Right now, we have the upper hand. The lap top that was found at the scene had everything we hoped for and more."

"It also confirmed our worst suspicions." Zeke added, clasping his hands together in front of his hips.

"Thank you for that, Agent Pedrad." Amar glared, grinding his teeth together. "We now know that the attack on Claire Harper was not personal. It was orchestrated by a much larger operation; one that has been occurring underneath our noses for months now. They've been taking women from in the Fringe and in the surrounding cities. For purposes we can only believe to be sexual and sadistic. Claire is their latest victim."

"Now to keep such a large scale operation running these creeps need a headquarters, a place to keep the women and carry out their business. The fringe is spans hundreds of miles, but with the laptop we hope to narrow down an area of about a miles or too. By tracking the most used satellites and servers this computer used to get online we should be able to do so."

"And then?" The gruff voice of the Sargent echoed throughout the room, ceasing the surrounding chatter.

"We put up surveillance, we need to track large buildings where men are seen coming in and out of. Once we find that, we decide which approach will cause the least amount of casualties. These guys have been doing this for years. They're not going to let us in for routine questioning, from our profile, we have to expect them to only react with violence." Amar stated confidently, meeting his superiors eyes with ease.

"Do you have any idea what cost that would impose? Sending surveillance into the Fringe would take dozens of officers, ones we don't have left to go around with the new security measures Reyes is demanding." He stated, dropping a mess of papers onto his desk in irritation and standing to his feet.

"What exactly are you suggesting, Sargent Palmer?" Zeke sputtered, the tension in the room becoming almost tangible.

"I'm questioning why you think we need to play offense." Richard scoffed. "I've seen the photos, I've ran the names and faces through our database. These girls are from the Fringe, their not under our protection. We have a mess of chaos of our own, why risk our men?" Murmurs sparked from all different sides of the room, making Zeke's feet twitch.  
"They have more than one of our own." Amar growled, stepping closer to the graying man. "And we protect our own, _Sargent."_

"Amar," Zeke warned, grasping his forearm. Keeping Tris from Four was one thing, but letting the secret out before even confiding in Tobias would be disastrous.

"Sargent." A squeak came from the corner of the room littered with technology. "Sir," a small, stocky man stood awkwardly, addressing the tense room. "Sir, I think we have a location."

* * *

Again, thank you so much for your patience and support! I adore all of you guys, each review truly makes my day, and during these times- I relish in the happiness they bring me!

Question of the chapter: How much longer do you think Zeke and Amar can keep the lid on Tris' imprisonment?

Lizzy


	16. Chapter 16

"What kind of radius are we looking at here?" Zeke asked, rubbing his gummy eyes. He wasn't going to make it home at a decent hour and he knew it.

"Spans about five miles altogether." The tech, whose name was Leo, Zeke later learned. His long fingers circled the parameter on the map expertly. "My guess would be that he building you're looking for has to be somewhere near the center. Otherwise these cell towers here and here," he said, pointing to red dots just outside the drawn radius, "would have been used a whole lot more. Makes sense?"

"Yeah. Of course it makes sense." Zeke mumbled, brain still sluggish from the lack of sleep and caffeine. He wiped his brow as the heat from the Fringe clung to his skin. Even in the shade of their base camp the sun was still sweltering. "Amar." He spoke into his walkie talkie roughly. "Focus on a two mile diameter starting from the center. This place can't be in the outer areas, if the laptop was kept inside the building for the majority of the time."

"Copy that."

"How are we looking?"

"Good. We've got seven men on the ground and another five scouting from high points. We've got a lot of action being reported from the north sector, I'm going to take a look myself and get back to you."

Zeke pocketed the walkie and was surprised to see Leo still standing in front of him.

"Can I help you?" He breathed, losing his patience by the second.

"Probably not, no." Zeke raised an eyebrow and the tech quickly wiped the smirk off of his face. "Look. I just wanted to say that I really don't think that's nay JV team that lurking in the middle of that sector. I don't think they're going to just let us walk through the front door."

"No shit?" Zeke hissed, confusion and frustration mingling together on his face.

"Just, just be careful, okay? Don't let any…emotions…cloud your judgment here. We all want these men to go home to their families tonight." Zeke's eyes widened every so slightly, and his grip on the table multiplied ten-fold.

"Emotion?"

"Yes." Leo stated simply, using his forefinger to move his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "I may not be the most qualified agent, but I know Tris Prior's face when I see it, okay?"

Zeke's mouth resembled a gaping fish as he stared at Leo's retreating figure. "Shit." He spat, brushing off his jeans and grasping his walkie. His mind began working in overdrive. The whole situation was turning into a shit show.

"Amar give me an update." He mumbled into the walkie. The sun had set just minutes before and the fringe was encased in an eerie orange glow. Darkness was already creeping up along the edges, it wouldn't be long before night fell.

"I think we may have something. We've got a building near the middle of Leo's radius. Didn't look like much before but we've been tracking a lot of men moving in and out of multiple exit and entry points."

"Send me your coordinates. I'll meet you." Zeke ordered.

Zeke didn't know how much time had passed, but he new from the way his knees ached lying face down on the rooftop, that it had been over two hours. The rings forming around his eyes from rugged binoculars didn't help either.

Aram and Zeke watched as yet another shadow of a man slither into sight. The hooded figure stayed close to the bricked siding of the slouching building. The pair watched the man closed in on the wooden side door, guarded by a pair of burly men littered in tattoos.

"That's the fifth guy in the last half hour." Zeke whispered. "I'm ready to call it."

"Just wait a little longer." Aram growled. "We need more than just a boys club before we move in. Or else Sergeant's going to have us by the balls." Soft murmurs could be heard from their pinpoint, but no distinguishable words. A hand protruded itself, creating a stark contrast in the night.

"There it is." Zeke hissed, slamming his fist on the pebbled ground like watching your favorite sports team score. "An exchange of money, we got 'em. That's definitely the place."

"You think?" Amar murmured, still watching with the binoculars glued to his face. "This isn't the kind of shit you jump the gun on, Zeke."

"Oh c'mon." Zeke groaned. "We've been out here for god knows how long. This place is crawling with goons and guns. There's a bunch of sleazy guys paying to get in. You think they're paying to see a fucking concert? No. They're paying to get their dick wet from girls that were taken against their will and forced into doing whatever their sick minds desire."

"Jesus, Zeke." Amar spit. "Get a grip, man."

"Get a grip?" Zeke hissed, veins swelling underneath his dark skin. "I haven't had a good night sleep in weeks, Amar. We just found out one of the people I spent months grieving over is now alive and I have to look into my best friend's eyes every goddamn day and pretend I don't know a thing about it. We found the place and we found Tris, now lets go get her."

"We can't just bust in the doors guns blazing, or have you forgotten everything we've been through together?" Amar whispered harshly. "We don't even know if Tris or Claire or anyone is inside. We don't have the fire power behind us, we don't know what we're dealing with here. We have to play it smart and we have to play it safe. These are my men, too."

"You think I don't know that?"

"And you think I don't give a shit about Tris or Tobias? Or that I haven't slept in days?"

Zeke met Amar's gaze, his eyes tightening with anger. "Fine. I get it." Zeke raised to his feet and removed his jacket, throwing it at his partner's face. "I'll take care of this by myself." He stated simply. He grabbed his badge and gun, dropping them beside his coat.

"The hell are you doing?"

"You're right. We don't know if they're inside. We don't want to risk our own men. Just promise me you'll cover my ass from up here, okay?"

"Zeke- Zeke where are you going?!" Amar hissed quietly in the darkness at Zeke's retreating figure, ascending the stairs.

"I'm going to end this mystery and find Tris and Claire." Zeke's voice mixed in with the thudding of his feet against the steel stairs.

"By doing what?!" Amar cackled in utter disbelief.

"I'm going inside."


End file.
